Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE HOSS, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The hoss he is a splendud beast Last Line: Down on my knees and love the hoss. Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): Animals; Horses; Love | ||||||||
THE hoss he is a splendud beast; He is man's friend, as heaven desined, And, search the world from west to east, No honester you'll ever find! Some calls the hoss "a pore dumb brute," And yit, like Him who died fer you, I say, as I theyr charge refute, "'Fergive; they know not what they do!'" No wiser animal makes tracks Upon these earthly shores, and hence Arose the axium, true as facts, Extoled by all, as "Good hoss-sense!" The hoss is strong, and knows his stren'th, -- You hitch him up a time er two And lash him, and he'll go his len'th And kick the dashboard out fer you! But, treat him allus good and kind, And never strike him with a stick, Ner aggervate him, and you'll find He'll never do a hostile trick. A hoss whose master tends him right And worters him with daily care, Will do your biddin' with delight, And act as docile as you air. He'll paw and prance to hear your praise, Because he's learnt to love you well; And, though you can't tell what he says, He'll nicker all he wants to tell. He knows you when you slam the gate At early dawn, upon your way Unto the barn, and snorts elate, To git his corn, er oats, er hay. He knows you, as the orphant knows The folks that loves her like theyr own, And raises her and "finds" her clothes, And "schools" her tel a womern-grown! I claim no hoss will harm a man, Ner kick, ner run away, cavort, Stump-suck, er balk, er "catamaran," Ef you'll jes' treat him as you ort. But when I see the beast abused, And clubbed around as I've saw some, I want to see his owner noosed, And jes' yanked up like Absolum! Of course they's differunce in stock, -- A hoss that has a little yeer, And slender build, and shaller hock, Can beat his shadder, mighty near! Whilse one that's thick in neck and chist And big in leg and full in flank, That tries to race, I still insist He'll have to take the second rank. And I have jes' laid back and laughed, And rolled and wallered in the grass At fairs, to see some heavy-draft Lead out at first, yit come in last! Each hoss has his appinted place, -- The heavy hoss should plow the soil; -- The blooded racer, he must race, And win big wages fer his toil. I never bet -- ner never wrought Upon my feller man to bet -- And yit, at times, I've often thought Of my convictions with regret. I bless the hoss from hoof to head -- From head to hoof, and tale to mane! -- I bless the hoss, as I have said, From head to hoof, and back again! I love my God the first of all, Then Him that perished on the cross, And next, my wife, -- and then I fall Down on my knees and love the hoss. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE INVENTION OF LOVE by MATTHEA HARVEY TWO VIEWS OF BUSON by ROBERT HASS A LOVE FOR FOUR VOICES: HOMAGE TO FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN by ANTHONY HECHT AN OFFERING FOR PATRICIA by ANTHONY HECHT LATE AFTERNOON: THE ONSLAUGHT OF LOVE by ANTHONY HECHT A SWEETENING ALL AROUND ME AS IT FALLS by JANE HIRSHFIELD A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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