Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A TALE OF THE AIRLY DAYS, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Oh! Tell me a tale of the airly days Last Line: As they did in the airly days. Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): Nostalgia; Past; Pioneers | ||||||||
OH! tell me a tale of the airly days -- Of the times as they ust to be; "Piller of Fi-er" and "Shakespeare's Plays" Is a'most too deep fer me! I want plane facts, and I want plane words, Of the good old-fashioned ways, When speech run free as the songs of birds 'Way back in the airly days. Tell me a tale of the timber-lands -- Of the old-time pioneers; Somepin' a pore man understands With his feelin's 's well as ears. Tell of the old log house, -- about The loft, and the puncheon flore -- The old fi-er-place, with the crane swung out, And the latch-string thrugh the door. Tell of the things jest as they was -- They don't need no excuse! -- Don't tetch 'em up like the poets does, Tel theyr all too fine fer use! -- Say they was 'leven in the fambily -- Two beds, and the chist, below, And the trundle-beds that each helt three, And the clock and the old bureau. Then blow the horn at the old back-door Tel the echoes all halloo, And the children gethers home onc't more, Jest as they ust to do: Blow fer Pap tel he hears and comes, With Tomps and Elias, too, A-marchin' home, with the fife and drums And the old Red White and Blue! Blow and blow tel the sound draps low As the moan of the whipperwill, And wake up Mother, and Ruth and Jo, All sleepin' at Bethel Hill: Blow and call tel the faces all Shine out in the back-log's blaze, And the shadders dance on the old hewed wall As they did in the airly days. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE TEMPEST by WILLIAM JAY SMITH THE BALLAD OF WILLIAM SYCAMORE (1790-1880) by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET ON THE EMIGRATION TO AMERICA AND PEOPLING WESTERN COUNTRY by PHILIP FRENEAU SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: RUTHERFORD MCDOWELL by EDGAR LEE MASTERS CROSSING THE PLAINS by CINCINNATUS HEINE MILLER WESTWARD HO! by CINCINNATUS HEINE MILLER FACE TO FACE by ADRIENNE CECILE RICH THE SETTLER: AMERICA IN THE MAKING by ALFRED BILLINGS STREET THE FOUNDERS OF OHIO by WILLIAM HENRY VENABLE A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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