Classic and Contemporary Poetry
HOW BARRE, VERMONT, WAS NAMED, by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY Poet's Biography First Line: I wonder if you've ever heard Last Line: "now barre is the name." Subject(s): Barre, Vermont; Mountain Life - Vermont; Towns | ||||||||
I WONDER if you've ever heard How Barre got its name, But if I swear in telling you I'm not the one to blame; For this is quite an ancient tale, And when the state was young The folks, they wore but little jade And spoke with freer tongue. The town at first was Wildersburgh, But when the settlers came In good-sized lumps, they soon desired To pick a prettier name; And so they met at Calvin Smith's To see about the change, And choose a word of loftier pitch And more romantic range. One said that "Paris" filled the mouth, Another said it seemed That "Newburn" was the kind of name O'er which he'd droiled and dreamed; But Cap'n Thomson said, "Get out; From Holden's hills I came; I favor Holden first and last, A Massachusetts name." Then up spoke Mr. Sherman, there, And said, "I, too, proclaim I'd like to see this meeting choose A good old Bay State name; I hail from Barre, that's a word To bring our town success; 'Twill make us famous, I'm convinced, And wealthy, more or less." "Get out," cried Thomson, "Go to grass; That ain't no kind of name;" And so the couple jawed and jawed Until their jaws was lame; The crowd was getting pretty tired And soon commenced to shout, "You fellers with such loads of lip, Why don't you fight it out?" Whereat they grinned and quickly 'greed Acrost a pole to fight, But if one knocked the other down, Then any rules was right; So off they went to Calvin's barn To organize the game, And started in to scrap for what Is now a city's name. Soon Thomson, with a fearful swing, Laid out his rival clean, And jumping on his prostrate form, Began to bat his bean; But Sherman dodged with great success, And missing not his aim, He ransacked Thomson's ribs as though He had a world to name. At last, with will and skill supreme, He rolled the Holdenite, And found himself a-top of one Who showed no further fight; Then springing up and standing high Above his foeman's frame, He shouted, "Barre, There, By! Now Barre is the name." | Discover our poem explanations - click here!Other Poems of Interest...IT'S THE LITTLE TOWNS I LIKE by THOMAS LUX HAIL TEESSIDE! by CECIL DAY LEWIS THE IMPORTANCE OF GREEN by JAMES GALVIN A TOWN DEDICATED TO THE PURSUIT OF FITNESS & INNER PEACE by ANSELM HOLLO AN EXPLANATION by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON WHAT COULD HAPPEN by DORIANNE LAUX TRAVELOGUE: WHEN WE CONSIDER THE DARK LIGHT by ELENI SIKELIANOS |
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