Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TOY-BALLOON, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TOY-BALLOON, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: They wuz a big day wunst in town
Last Line: "columby, happy land!"
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Balloons; Toys


THEY wuz a Big Day wunst in town,
An' little Jason's Pa
Buyed him a little toy-balloon,
The first he ever saw. --
An' oh! but Jase wuz more'n proud,
A-holdin' to the string
An' scrougin' through the grea'-big crowd,
To hear the Glee Club sing.

The Glee Club it wuz goin' to sing
In old Masonic Hall;
An' Speakin', it wuz in there, too,
An' soldiers, folks an' all:
An' Jason's Pa he git a seat
An' set down purty soon,
A-holdin' little Jase, an' him
A-holdin' his balloon.

An' while the Speakin' 's startin' up
An' ever'body still --
The first you know wuz little Jase
A-yellin' fit to kill! --
Nen Jason's Pa jump on his seat
An' grab up in the air, --
But little Jason's toy-balloon
Wuz clean away from there!

An' Jase he yelled; an' Jase's Pa,
Still lookin' up, clumb down --
While that-air little toy-balloon
Went bumpin' roun' an' roun'
Ag'inst the ceilin', 'way up there
Where ever'body saw,
An' they all yelled, an' Jason yelled,
An' little Jason's Pa!

But when his Pa he packed him out
A-screamin' -- nen the crowd
Looked down an' hushed -- till they looked up
An' howled ag'in out loud;
An' nen the speaker, mad an' pale,
Jist turned an' left the stand,
An' all j'ined in the Glee Club -- "Hail,
Columby, Happy Land!"





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