SENCE I tuk holt o' Gibbses' Churn And be'n a-handlin' the concern, I've traveled round the grand old State Of Indiany, lots, o' late! -- I've canvassed Crawferdsville and sweat Around the town o' Layfayette; I've saw a many a County-seat I @3ust@1 to think was hard to beat: At constant dreenage and expense I've worked Greencastle and Vincennes -- Drapped out o' Putnam into Clay, Owen, and on down thataway Plum into Knox, on the back-track Fer home ag'in -- and glad I'm back! -- I've saw these towns, as I say -- but They's none 'at beats old Terry Hut! It's more'n likely you'll insist I claim this 'cause I'm predjudist, Bein' born'd here in ole Vygo In sight o' Terry Hut; -- but no, Yer clean dead wrong! -- and I maintain They's nary drap in ary vein O' mine but what's as free as air To jes' take issue with you there! -- 'Cause, boy and man, fer forty year, I've argied @3ag'inst@1 livin' here, And jawed around and traded lies About our lack o' enterprise, And tuk and turned in and agreed All other towns was in the lead, When -- drat my melts! -- they couldn't cut No shine a-tall with Terry Hut! Take, even, statesmanship, and wit, And ginerel git-up-and-git, Old Terry Hut is sound clean through! -- Turn old Dick Thompson loose, er Dan @3Vore@1hees -- and where's they any man Kin even hold a candle to Their eloquence? -- And where's as clean A fi-nan-seer as Rile' McKeen -- Er puorer, in his daily walk, In railroad er in racin' stock! And there's 'Gene Debs -- a man 'at stands And jes' holds out in his two hands As warm a heart as ever beat Betwixt here and the Jedgment Seat! -- All these is reasons why I putt Sich bulk o' faith in Terry Hut. So I've come back, with eyes 'at sees My faults, at last, -- to make my peace With this old place, and truthful' swear -- Like Gineral Tom Nelson does, -- "They hain't no city anywhere On God's green earth lays over us!" Our city govament is @3grand@1 -- "Ner is they better farmin'-land Sun-kissed" -- as Tom goes on and says -- "Er dower'd with sich advantages!" And I've come back, with welcome tread, From journeyin's vain, as I have said, To settle down in ca'm content, And cuss the towns where I have went, And brag on ourn, and boast and strut Around the streets o' Terry Hut! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PRAYER AT SUNRISE by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON MACDONALD'S RAID - A.D. 1780 by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE THE BARREL-ORGAN by ALFRED NOYES WARREN'S ADDRESS [TO THE AMERICANS] [AT BUNKER HILL] [JUNE 17, 1775] by JOHN PIERPONT THE OWL (1) by ALFRED TENNYSON |