Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SEEIN' THINGS, by EUGENE FIELD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SEEIN' THINGS, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I ain't afeard uv snakes, or toads, or bugs, or worms, or mice
Last Line: Night!
Subject(s): Children; Childhood


I AIN'T afeard uv snakes, or toads, or bugs, or
worms, or mice,
An' things 'at girls are skeered uv I think are
awful nice!
I'm pretty brave, I guess; an' yet I hate to go
to bed,
For, when I'm tucked up warm an' snug an'
when my prayers are said,
Mother tells me "Happy dreams!" and takes
away the light,
An' leaves me lyin' all alone an' seein' things
at night!
Sometimes they're in the corner, sometimes
they're by the door,
Sometimes they're all a-standin' in the middle
uv the floor;
Sometimes they are a-sittin' down, sometimes
they're walkin' round
So softly an' so creepylike they never make a
sound!
Sometimes they are as black as ink, an' other
times they're white --
But the color ain't no difference when you see
things at night!
Once, when I licked a feller 'at had just moved
on our street,
An' father sent me up to bed without a bit to
eat,
I woke up in the dark an' saw things standin'
in a row,
A-lookin' at me cross-eyed an' p'intin' at
me -- so!
Oh, my! I wuz so skeered that time I never
slep' a mite --
It's almost allus when I'm bad I see things
at night!
Lucky thing I ain't a girl, or I'd be skeered to
death!
Bein' I'm a boy, I duck my head an' hold my
breath;
An' I am, oh! so sorry I'm a naughty boy, an'
then
I promise to be better an' I say my prayers
again!
Gran'ma tells me that's the only way to make
it right
When a feller has been wicked an' sees things
at night!
An' so, when other naughty boys would coax
me into sin,
I try to skwush the Tempter's voice 'at urges
me within;
An' when they's pie for supper, or cakes 'at's
big an' nice,
I want to -- but I do not pass my plate f'r them
things twice!
No, ruther let Starvation wipe me slowly out o'
sight
Than I should keep a-livin' on an' seein' things at
night!




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