I'VE allus held -- till jest of late -- That @3Poetry@1 and me Got on best, not to 'sociate -- That is, @3most@1 poetry; But t'other day my @3son-in-law,@1 Milt -- be'n in town to mill -- Fetched home a present-like, fer Ma, -- The Rhymes of Ironquill. Milt ust to teach; and, 'course, @3his@1 views Ranks over @3common@1 sense; -- That's @3biased@1 me, till I refuse 'Most all he rickommends. -- But Ma @3she@1 read and read along And cried, like women will, About that "Washerwoman's Song" In Rhymes of Ironquill. And then she made @3me@1 read the thing, And found my specs and all: And I jest leant back there -- i jing! -- My cheer ag'inst the wall -- And read and @3read,@1 and read and @3read,@1 All to myse'f -- ontil I lit the lamp and went to bed With Rhymes of Ironquill! I propped myse'f up there, and -- @3durn!@1 -- I never shet an eye Till daylight! -- hogged the whole concern Tee-total, mighty nigh! -- I'd sigh sometimes, and cry sometimes, Er laugh jest fit to kill -- Clean @3captured@1-like with them-air rhymes O' that-air Ironquill! Read that-un 'bout old "Marmaton" 'At hain't be'n ever "sized" In Song before -- and yit's rolled on Jest same as 'postrophized! -- Putt me in mind o' @3our@1 old crick At @3Freeport@1 -- and the @3mill@1 -- And Hinchman's Ford -- till jest @3home@1sick -- Them Rhymes of Ironquill! Read that-un, too, 'bout "Game o' Whist," And likenin' Life to fun Like @3that@1 -- and playin' out yer fist, However cards is run: And them "Tobacker-Stemmers' Song" They sung with sich a will Down 'mongst the misery and wrong -- In Rhymes of Ironquill. And old John Brown, who broke the sod Of freedom's faller field And sowed his @3heart@1 there, thankin' God Pore slaves would git the yield -- Rained his last tears fer them and @3us@1 To irrigate and till A crop of Song as glorious As Rhymes of Ironquill. And -- sergeant, died there in the War, 'At talked, out of his head . . . He went "back to the Violet Star," I'll bet -- jest like he said! -- Yer Wars kin riddle bone and flesh, And blow out brains, and spill Life-blood, -- but @3Somepin'@1 lives on, fresh As Rhymes of Ironquill! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ADDRESS TO THE UNCO GUID, OR THE RIGIDLY RIGHTEOUS by ROBERT BURNS MY GARDEN by RALPH WALDO EMERSON LITTLE BOY BLUE by EUGENE FIELD THE ANGELUS; HEARD AT THE MISSION DOLORES IN SAN FRANCISCO, 1868 by FRANCIS BRET HARTE THE CROSS OF SNOW by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE GOOD SHEPHERD by FELIX LOPE DE VEGA CARPIO |