Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: RICHARD BONE, by EDGAR LEE MASTERS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: RICHARD BONE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: When I first came to spoon river
Last Line: Or because he is influenced to hide it.
Subject(s): Epitaphs


WHEN I first came to Spoon River
I did not know whether what they told me
Was true or false.
They would bring me the epitaph
And stand around the shop while I worked
And say "He was so kind," "He was wonderful,"
"She was the sweetest woman," "He was a consistent Christian."
And I chiseled for them whatever they wished,
All in ignorance of its truth.
But later, as I lived among the people here,
I knew how near to the life
Were the epitaphs that were ordered for them as they died.
But still I chiseled whatever they paid me to chisel
And made myself party to the false chronicles
Of the stones,
Even as the historian does who writes
Without knowing the truth,
Or because he is influenced to hide it.





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