Classic and Contemporary Poetry
AN INCIDENT OF THE WEST, by ANONYMOUS First Line: More annoyed than for many a week before Last Line: For the faults of the dead in the canyon Subject(s): Accidents;canyons;death;tragedy;war; "dead, The; | ||||||||
MORE annoyed than for many a week before, We looked on Bill whar' he lay, He had got down sick an' the livelong day Had groaned an' babbled an' maybe swore. An' didn't he look as he tumbled thar', As big as a hoss, as strong as a b'ar, His face as red as the leaves out whar' The sun fell last on the canyon. Old Bill was a brick wild, full of his pluck; But somehow deep in his bosom yit He'd a feelin' fer man that wuz down hard hit By the graceless thing that we call bad luck, An' to hear him there with his eyes shet fast, Blabbin' of things that belonged to the past, His mother an' sisters we jest had to ast: "Turned baby, Bill, in the canyon?" We had no fire; it was fall of the year; An' the moon shined fair on the bowlders A white shawl hangin' over the shoulders Of the mountains that stretched out fer an' near. Fer an hour then, not a sound from Bill. No snarl of wolf, an' no streamlet's spill; It seemed God's step, ef you'd be right still, Mought be heard even down in the canyon. "Yes, mother, I'm ready to say my prayer," He murmured then in a voice now faint, A look on his face no bresh could paint, So drawn, yit soft in the midnight air: "Now I lay me down " then we all drawed near, An' the rest of the words fell plain on our ear The sweet old prayer God loves most to hear, Went up with his soul from the canyon. Jest plain rough scouts, half-feelin' our way On the borders of hell for the pioneers, We had little time fer sighs and tears As we laid Bill under the grass next day. But we b'lieved as we turned and left him alone, His childish plea reachin' up to the throne, Fer his mother's sake might somewhat atone For the faults of the dead in the canyon. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SITTING BULL IN SERBIA by WILLIAM JAY SMITH TO THE EXCELLENT ORINDA by PHILO PHILIPPA EPIGRAM OCCASIONED BY CIBBER'S VERSES IN PRAISE OF NASH: 1 by ALEXANDER POPE THE GIFT OF THE GODS by JOHN GODFREY SAXE TO CHRISTOPHER NORTH by ALFRED TENNYSON BEAU NASH by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER BEAU NASH AND THE ROMAN, OR THE TWO ERAS by CHARLES TENNYSON TURNER TIS A LITTLE JOURNEY by ANONYMOUS |
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