Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE OLD HOME BY THE MILL, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet's Biography First Line: This is 'the old home by the mill' - fer we still call it so Last Line: I'd jest crawl in my grave and pull the green grass over me! Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): Graves; Home; Mills And Millers; Spring; Tombs; Tombstones | ||||||||
THIS is "The Old Home by the Mill" -- fer we still call it so, Although the old mill, roof and sill, is all gone long ago, The old home, though, and the old folks -- the old spring, and a few Old cattails, weeds and hartychokes, is left to welcome you! Here, Marg'et! -- fetch the man a tin to drink out of! Our spring Keeps kindo'-sorto' cavin' in, but don't "taste" anything! She's kindo' agin', Marg'et is -- "the old process" -- like me, All ham-stringed up with rhumatiz, and on in seventy-three. Jest me and Marg'et lives alone here -- like in long ago; The children all putt off and gone, and married, don't you know? One's millin' 'way out West somewhare; two other miller-boys In Minnyopolis they air; and one's in Illinoise. The oldest gyrl -- the first that went -- married and died right here; The next lives in Winn's Settlement -- fer purt' nigh thirty year! And youngest one -- was allus fer the old home here -- but no! -- Her man turns in and he packs her 'way off to Idyho! I don't miss them like Marg'et does -- 'cause I got her, you see; And when she pines for them -- that's 'cause she's only jest got me! I laugh, and joke her 'bout it all. -- But talkin' sense, I'll say, When she was tuk so bad last Fall, I laughed then t'other way! I hain't so favor'ble impressed 'bout dyin'; but ef I Found I was only second-best when us two come to die, I'd 'dopt the "new process," in full, ef Marg'et died, you see, -- I'd jest crawl in my grave and pull the green grass over me! | Discover our poem explanations - click here!Other Poems of Interest...IN THE CREVICE OF TIME by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE SURVIVOR AMONG GRAVES by RANDALL JARRELL SUBJECTED EARTH by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE GRAVE OF MRS. HEMANS by CECIL FRANCES ALEXANDER THOSE GRAVES IN ROME by LARRY LEVIS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: MTHE CIRCUIT JUDGE by EDGAR LEE MASTERS NOT TO BE DWELLED ON by HEATHER MCHUGH ONE LAST DRAW OF THE PIPE by PAUL MULDOON ETRUSCAN TOMB by JOHN FREDERICK NIMS |
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