Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TRICKY TUNE, by WINIFRED VIRGINIA JACKSON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TRICKY TUNE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The house was built back from the road
Last Line: "jest, 'mooncalf, dolt an' fool!'"
Subject(s): Man-woman Relationships; Male-female Relations


The Hired Man Speaks:

"He never spoke a civil word
To her; it was his rule
To snarl or shout; his best for her
Was 'Mooncalf, dolt an' fool!'"

The Story:

The house was built back from the Road;
It stood there grim and gray
And silent, 'mid great aspen trees
That quivered night and day.

The Road was narrow; old stone walls
Arose on either side
Begrudging from the farm the land
The roadbed had to gride.

And she had lived with him and drudged
For over twenty years;
He drove her on, from harrowing
To breaking in the steers.

At first when she was called a fool,
A hurt look dulled her eyes,
And she would slip off by herself
And have her little cries.

But once he caught her; after that
She never dared to cry;
The days seemed all alike to her
That wearily went by.

And often, when he snarled and cursed,
She played a little game;
She tried to make believe that he
Had called her some sweet name.

Then one day came a tricksy tune
That hummed within her head;
In spite of all that she could do
It held the words he said.

She heard the song and shuddered at
Its "Fool, dolt, fool, dolt, fool!"
The while she gripped her hard, worn hands
And drabber looked and cool.

And this kept up for weeks; she worked
With hope to still the song
By weariness; it sometimes went away
But would not stay for long.

When evening came, he sat about
The kitchen while she rid
The sink of dishes, nagging her
Through everything she did.

And then he'd go to sleep and snore,
Sprawled in the rocking chair;
The light shone on his long, gray beard
And bristling, grizzly hair.

And so he lolled; she mended, darned,
The while she scarce could see;
The song beat time within her head
That ached unceasingly.

A day came harder than the rest;
He snarled at her and raved,
And of the nagging words he knew
There was no word he saved.

And night came with the supper; wash
Of dishes in the sink;
And afterwards his snores; her song;
She ceased to try to think.

The Hired Man Speaks:

"I found him crooked upon the floor;
The ax was sharp, for he
Had sharpened it that day an' whet
It sharp as it could be.

She didn't notice me; she sat
As white's a sheet, but cool,
An' hummed a song: the words wan't much,
Jest, 'Mooncalf, dolt an' fool!'"





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