Classic and Contemporary Poetry
OUR QUEER OLD WORLD, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: It's a purty hard world you find, my Last Line: It's a purty good world, old man! Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): Cruelty; Earth; Experience; Wisdom; World | ||||||||
Fer them 'at's here in airliest infant stages, It's a hard world: Fer them 'at gits the knocks of boyhood's ages, It's a mean world: Fer them 'at nothin's good enough they're gittin', It's a bad world: Fer them 'at learns at last what's right and fittin', It's a good world. -- THE HIRED MAN IT'S a purty hard world you find, my child -- It's a purty hard world you find! You fight, little rascal! and kick and squall, And snort out medicine, spoon and all! When you're here longer you'll change your mind And simmer down sort o' half-rickonciled. But now -- Jee!- My!-mun-nee! It's a purty hard world, my child! It's a purty mean world you're in, my lad -- It's a purty mean world you're in! We know, of course, in your schoolboy-days It's a world of too many troublesome ways Of tryin' things over and startin' ag'in, -- Yit your chance beats what your parents had. But now -- Oh! Fire-and-tow! It's a purty mean world, my lad! It's a purty bad world you've struck, young chap -- It's a purty bad world you've struck -- But study the cards that you hold, you know, And your hopes will sprout and your mustache grow, And your store-clothes likely will change your luck, And you'll rake a rich ladybird into your lap! But now -- Doubt All things out. -- It's a purty bad world, young chap! It's a purty good world this is, old man -- It's a purty good world this is! For all its follies and shows and lies -- Its rainy weather, and cheeks likewise, And age, hard-hearin' and rheumatiz. -- We're not a-faultin' the Lord's own plan -- All things 's jest At their best. -- It's a purty good world, old man! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BROKEN BALANCE by ROBINSON JEFFERS SUBJECTED EARTH by ROBINSON JEFFERS GEOMETAPHYSICS by MARGARET AVISON NIAGARA by JOHN FREDERICK NIMS SOPHISTICATION by CONRAD AIKEN I SEE CHILE IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR by AGHA SHAHID ALI WASHING OUR HANDS OF THE REST OF AMERICA by MARVIN BELL THE EARTH IS A LIVING THING by LUCILLE CLIFTON A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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