Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A FALL-CRICK VIEW OF THE EARTHQUAKE, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A FALL-CRICK VIEW OF THE EARTHQUAKE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I kin hump my back and take the rain
Last Line: It 'ud husk you out o' yer gravel
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Disasters; Earthquakes; Graves; Tombs; Tombstones


I KIN hump my back and take the rain,
And I don't keer how she pours;
I kin keep kind o' ca'm in a thunderstorm,
No matter how loud she roars;
I hain't much skeered o' the lightnin',
Ner I hain't sich awful shakes
Afeard o' cyclones -- but I don't want none
O' yer dad-burned old earthquakes!

As long as my legs keeps stiddy,
And long as my head keeps plum',
And the buildin' stays in the front lot,
I still kin whistle, some!
But about the time the old clock
Flops off'n the mantel-shelf,
And the bureau skoots fer the kitchen,
I'm a-goin' to skoot, myself!

Plague-take! ef you keep me stabled
While any earthquakes is around! --
I'm jes' like the stock, -- I'll beller
And break fer the open ground!
And I 'low you'd be as nervous
And in jes' about my fix,
When yer whole farm slides from inunder you,
And on'y the mor'gage sticks!

Now cars hain't a-goin's to kill you
Ef you don't drive 'crost the track;
Crediters never'll jerk you up
Ef you go and pay 'em back;
You kin stand all moral and mundane storms
Ef you'll on'y jes' behave --
But a' EARTHQUAKE: -- Well, ef it wanted you
It 'ud husk you out o' yer gravel





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