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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THOMAS THE PRETENDER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

Poet Analysis

First Line: TOMMY'S ALLUZ PLAYIN' JOKES
Last Line: "AN' GREASE THE WELTS, ""PORE PA! PORE PA!"
Subject(s): CHILDREN; FAMILY LIFE; JOKES; CHILDHOOD; RELATIVES;

TOMMY'S alluz playin' jokes,
An' actin' up, an' foolin' folks;
An' wunst one time he creep
In Pa's big chair, he did, one night,
An/ squint an' shut his eyes bofe tight,
An' say, "Now I'm asleep."
An' nen we knowed, an' Ma know' too,
He @3ain't@1 asleep no more'n you!

An' wunst he clumbed on our backfence
An' flop his arms an' nen commence
To crow, like he's a hen;
But when he falled off, like he done,
He didn't fool us children none,
Ner didn't @3crow@1 again.
An' our Hired Man, as he come by,
Says, "Tom can't @3crow,@1 but he kin @3cry."@1

An' one time wunst Tom 'tend'-like he's
His Pa an' goin' to rob the bees;
An', first he know -- oh, dear!
They ist come swarmin' out o' there
An' sting him, an' stick in his hair --
An' one got in his yeer! --
An' Uncle sigh an' say to Ma,
An' grease the welts, "Pore Pa! pore Pa!"



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