Classic and Contemporary Poetry
FARMER WHIPPLE - BACHELOR, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: It's a mystery to see me - a man o' fifty-four Last Line: To git a pair o' license fer to marry mary brown. Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): Farm Life; Love; Single People; Agriculture; Farmers; Bachelors; Unmarried People | ||||||||
It's a mystery to see me -- a man o' fifty-four, Who's lived a cross old bachelor fer thirty year' and more -- A-lookin' glad and smilin'! And they's none o' you can say That you can guess the reason why I feel so good to-day! I must tell you all about it! But I'll have to deviate A little in beginnin', so's to set the matter straight As to how it comes to happen that I never took a wife -- Kindo' "crawfish" from the Present to the Springtime of my life! I was brought up in the country: Of a family of five -- Three brothers and a sister -- I'm the only one alive, -- Fer they all died little babies; and 'twas one o' Mother's ways, You know, to want a daughter; so she took a girl to raise. The sweetest little thing she was, with rosy cheeks, and fat -- We was little chunks o' shavers then about as high as that! But someway we sort a' suited-like! and Mother she'd declare She never laid her eyes on a more lovin' pair Than we was! So we growed up side by side fer thirteen year', And every hour of it she growed to me more dear! -- W'y, even Father's dyin', as he did, I do believe Warn't more affectin' to me than it was to see her grieve! I was then a lad o' twenty; and I felt a flash o' pride In thinkin' all depended on me now to pervide Fer Mother and fer Mary; and I went about the place With sleeves rolled up -- and workin', with a mighty smilin' face. -- Fer somepin' else was workin'! but not a word I said Of a certain sort o' notion that was runnin' through my head, -- "Some day I'd maybe marry, and a brother's love was one Thing -- a lover's was another!" was the way the notion run! I remember onc't in harvest, when the "cradle-in' " was done, (When the harvest of my summers mounted up to twenty-one), I was ridin' home with Mary at the closin' o' the day -- A-chawin' straws and thinkin', in a lover's lazy way! And Mary's cheeks was burnin' like the sunset down the lane: I noticed she was thinkin', too, and ast her to explain. Well -- when she turned and kissed me, with her arms around me-law!@ I'd a bigger load o' Heaven than I had a load o' straw! I don't p'tend to learnin', but I'll tell you what's a fac', They's a mighty truthful sayin' somers in a' almanac -- Er somers -- 'bout "puore happiness" -- perhaps some folks'll laugh At the idy -- "only lastin' jest two seconds and a half." -- But it's jest as true as preachin'! -- fer that was a sister's kiss, And a sister's lovin' confidence a-tellin' to me this: -- "She was happy, bein' promised to the son o' Farmer Brown" -- And my feelin's struck a pardnership with sunset and went down! I don't know how I acted, and I don't know what I said, -- Fer my heart seemed jest a-turnin' to an ice-cold lump o' lead; And the hosses kind o'glimmered before me in the road, And the lines fell from my fingers -- And that was all I knowed -- Fer -- well, I don't know HOW long -- They's a dim rememberence Of a sound o' snortin' horses, and a stake-and-ridered fence A-whizzin' past, and wheat-sheaves a-dancin' in the air, And Mary screamin' "Murder!" and a-runnin' up to where I was layin' by the roadside, and the wagon upside down A-leanin' on the gate-post, with the wheels a-whirlin' roun'! And I tried to raise and meet her, but I couldn't, with a vague Sort o' notion comin' to me that I had a broken leg. Well, the women nussed me through it; but many a time I'd sigh As I'd keep a-gittin' better instid o' goin' to die, And wonder what was left me worth livin' fer below, When the girl I loved was married to another, don't you know! And my thoughts was as rebellious as the folks was good and kind When Brown and Mary married -- Railly must 'a' been my mind Was kind o' out o' kilter! -- fer I hated Brown, you see, Worse'n pizen -- and the feller whittled crutches out fer me -- And done a thousand little ac's o' kindness and respec' -- And me a-wishin' all the time that I could break his neck! My relief was like a mourner's when the funeral is done When they moved to Illinois in the Fall o' Forty-one. Then I went to work in airnest -- I had nothin' much in view But to drownd out rickollections -- and it kep' me busy, too! But I slowly thrived and prospered, tel Mother used to say She expected yit to see me a wealthy man some day. Then I'd think how little money was, compared to happiness -- And who'd be left to use it when I died I couldn't guess! But I've still kep' speculatin' and a-gainin' year by year, Tel I'm payin' half the taxes in the county, mighty near! Well! -- A year ago er better, a letter comes to hand Astin' how I'd like to dicker fer some Illinois land -- "The feller that had owned it," it went ahead to state, "Had jest deceased, insolvent, leavin' chance to speculate," -- And then it closed by sayin' that I'd "better come and see." -- I'd never been West, anyhow -- a'most too wild fer me, I'd allus had a notion; but a lawyer here in town Said I'd find myself mistakend when I come to look around. So I bids good-by to Mother, and I jumps aboard the train, A-thinkin' what I'd bring her when I come back home again -- And ef she'd had an idy what the present was to be, I think it's more'n likely she'd 'a' went along with me! Cars is awful tejus ridin', fer all they go so fast! But finally they called out my stoppin'-place at last: And that night, at the tavern, I dreamp' I was a train O' cars, and skeered at somepin', runnin' down a country lane! Well, in the morning airly -- after huntin' up the man -- The lawyer who was wantin' to swap the piece o' land -- We started fer the country; and I ast the history Of the farm -- its former owner -- and so forth, etcetery! And -- well -- it was interestin' -- I su'prised him, I suppose, By the loud and frequent manner in which I blowed my nose! -- But his su'prise was greater, and it made him wonder more, When I kissed and hugged the widder when she met us at the door! -- It was Mary: . . . They's a feelin' a-hidin' down in here -- Of course I can't explain it, ner ever make it clear. -- It was with us in that meetin', I don't want you to fergit! And it makes me kind o'nervous when I think about it yit! I bought that farm, and deeded it, afore I left the town With "title clear to mansions in the skies," to Mary Brown! And fu'thermore, I took her and the childern -- fer you see, They'd never seed their Grandma -- and I fetched 'em home with me. So now you've got an idy why a man o' fifty-four, Who's lived a cross old bachelor fer thirty year' and more Is a-lookin' glad and smilin'! -- And I've jest come into town To git a pair o' license fer to marry Mary Brown. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE ODD WOMAN by MADELINE DEFREES THE RIVALS by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON COUNSEIL TO A BACHELER by MARIANNE MOORE MY KIND OF MAN by ANNE WALDMAN THE TWO OLD BACHELORS by EDWARD LEAR THE LAIRD O' COCKPEN by CAROLINA OLIPHANT NAIRNE A CONSISTENT GIRL by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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