Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BILLY AND HIS DRUM, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BILLY AND HIS DRUM, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Ho! It's come, kids, come!
Last Line: Ef you don't hear little billy an' his big bass drum!
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Children; Drums; Judgment Day; Musical Instruments; Noises; Childhood; End Of The World; Doomsday; Fall Of Man


HO! it's come, kids, come!
With a bim! bam! bum!
Here's little Billy bangin' on his big bass drum!
He's a-marchin' round the room,
With his feather-duster plume
A-noddin' an' a-bobbin' with his big! bom! boom!

Looky, little Jane an' Jim!
Will you only look at him,
A-humpin' an' a-thumpin' with his bam! bom! bim!
Has the Day o' Judgment come
Er the New Mi-len-nee-um?
Er is it only Billy with his bim! bam! bum!

I'm a-comin'; yes, I am --
Jim an' Sis, an' Jane an' Sam!
We'll all march off with Billy an' his bom! bim! bam!
Come hurrawin' as you come,
Er they'll think you're deef-an'-dumb
Ef you don't hear little Billy an' his big bass drum!





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