Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SYMPTOMS, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SYMPTOMS, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I'm not a-workin' now!
Last Line: I'm not a-workin' now!
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Farm Life; Idleness; Labor & Laborers; Agriculture; Farmers; Laziness; Sloth; Indolence; Work; Workers


I'M not a-workin' now! --
I'm jes' a-layin' round
A-lettin' other people plow. --
I'm cumberin' the ground! . . .
I jes' don't keer! -- I've done my sheer
O' sweatin'! -- Anyhow,
In this dad-blasted weather here,
I'm not a-workin' now!

The corn and wheat and all
Is doin' well enough! --
They' got clean on from now tel Fall
To show what kind o' stuff
'At's in their own dad-burn backbone;
So, while the Scriptur's 'low
Man ort to reap as he have sown --
I'm not a-workin' now!

The grass en-nunder these-
Here ellums 'long "Old Blue,"
And shadders o' the sugar-trees,
Beats farmin' quite a few!
As feller says, -- I ruther guess
I'll make my comp'ny bow
And snooze a few hours -- more er less. --
I'm not a-workin' now!





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