THE rhyme o' The Raggedy Man's 'at's best Is Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs, 'Cause that-un's the strangest of all o' the rest, An' the worst to learn, an' the last one guessed, An' the funniest one, an' the foolishest. -- Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! I don't know what in the world it means -- Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! -- An' nen when I @3tell@1 him I don't, he leans Like he was a-grindin' on some machines An' says: Ef I @3don't,@1 w'y, I don't know @3beans!@1 Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Out on the margin of Moonshine Land, Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Out where the Whing-Whang loves to stand, Writing his name with his tail in the sand, And swiping it out with his oogerish hand; Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Is it the gibber of Gungs or Keeks? Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Or what @3is@1 the sound that the Whing-Whang seeks? -- Crouching low by the winding creeks, And holding his breath for weeks and weeks! Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Aroint him the wraithest of wraithly things! Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! 'Tis a fair Whing-Whangess, with phosphor rings, And bridal-jewels of fangs and stings; And she sits and as sadly and softly sings As the mildewed whir of her own dead wings, -- Tickle me, Dear, Tickle me here, Tickle me, Love, in me Lonesome Ribs! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BLUEBIRD by EMILY DICKINSON FRAGMENT THIRTY-SIX by HILDA DOOLITTLE A SONNET. THE ROSE AND LILY by PHILIP AYRES CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 2. OF GRATITUDE by WILLIAM BASSE THE KNIGHT'S EPITAPH by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT A HINT TO CHRISTIAN POETS by JOHN BYROM THE BEAU AND THE BEDLAMITE by JOHN BYROM BALLAD TO THE TUNE OF 'FRANCKLIN'S IS FLED AWAY' by PATRICK CAREY |