("Uncle Jake's Place," St. Jo, Missouri, 1'74) "I WAS born in Indiany," says a stranger, lank and slim, As us fellers in the restarunt was kind o' guyin' him, And Uncle Jake was slidin' him another punkin pie And a' extry cup o' coffee, with a twinkle in his eye,-- "I was born in Indiany--more'n forty year' ago-- And I hain't be'n back in twenty--an' I'm workin' back'ards slow; But I've et in ever' restarunt 'twixt here and Santy Fee, And I want to state this coffee tastes like gittin' home, to me! "Pour us out another, Daddy," says the feller, warmin' up, A-speakin' 'crost a saucerful, as Uncle tuk his cup,-- "When I seed yer sign out yander," he went on, to Uncle Jake,-- " 'Come in and git some coffee like yer mother used to make,'-- I thought of my old mother, and the Posey County farm, And me a little kid ag'in, a-hangin' in her arm, As she set the pot a-bilin', broke the eggs and poured 'em in"-- And the feller kind o' halted, with a trimble in his chin: And Uncle Jake he fetched the feller's coffee back, and stood As solemn, fer a minute, as a' undertaker would; Then be sort o' turned and tiptoed to'rds the kitchen door--and nex', Here comes his old wife out with him, a-rubbin' of her specs-- And she rushes fer the stranger, and she hollers out, "It's him!-- Thank God we've met him comin'!--Don't you know yer mother, Jim?" And the feller, as he grabbed her, says,-- "You bet I hain't forgot-- But," wipin' of his eyes, says he, "yet coffee's mighty hot!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BEFORE ACTION by WILLIAM NOEL HODGSON IN THE NEOLITHIC AGE by RUDYARD KIPLING SONGS OF TRAVEL: 26. IF THIS WERE FAITH by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON MASKS by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE OLD BRIDGE by SEYMOUR GREEN WHEELER BENJAMIN PASTORAL BALLADS: SPRING by THOMAS BREREWOOD VICTORIAN JOURNALISM by CHARLES WILLIAM BRODRIBB |