Classic and Contemporary Poetry
WRITIN' BACK TO THE HOMEFOLKS, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: My dear old friends - it jes' beats Last Line: And madaline and mother. Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): April; Family Life; Letters; Love; Relatives | ||||||||
MY dear old friends -- It jes' beats all, The way you write a letter So's ever' last line beats the first, And ever' next-un's better! -- W'y, ever' fool-thing you putt down You make so interestin', A feller, readin' of 'em all, Can't tell which is the best-un. It's all so comfortin' and good, 'Pears-like I almost hear ye And git more sociabler, you know, And hitch my cheer up near ye And jes' smile on ye like the sun Acrosst the whole per-rairies In Aprile when the thaw's begun And country couples marries. It's all so good-old-fashioned like To talk jes' like we're thinkin', Without no hidin' back o' fans And giggle-un and winkin', Ner sizin' how each other's dressed -- Like some is allus doin', -- "Is Marthy Ellen's basque be'n turned Er shore-enough a new-un!" -- Er "ef Steve's city-friend hain't jes' 'A leetle kind o' sort o''" -- Er "wears them-air blame' eye-glasses Jes' 'cause he hadn't ort to?" -- And so straight on, dad-libitum, Tel all of us feels, someway, Jes' like our "comp'ny" wuz the best When we git up to come 'way! That's why I like old friends like you, -- Jes' 'cause you're so abidin'. -- Ef I wuz built to live "fer keeps," My principul residin' Would be amongst the folks 'at kep' Me allus thinkin' of 'em, And sort o' eechin' all the time To tell 'em how I love 'em. -- Sich folks, you know, I jes' love so I wouldn't live without 'em, Er couldn't even drap asleep But what I dreamp' about 'em, -- And ef we minded God, I guess We'd all love one another Jes' like one famb'ly, -- me and Pap And Madaline and Mother. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY AUNT ELLA MAE by MICHAEL S. HARPER THE GOLDEN SHOVEL by TERRANCE HAYES LIZARDS AND SNAKES by ANTHONY HECHT THE BOOK OF A THOUSAND EYES: I LOVE by LYN HEJINIAN CHILD ON THE MARSH by ANDREW HUDGINS MY MOTHER'S HANDS by ANDREW HUDGINS PLAYING DEAD by ANDREW HUDGINS THE GLASS HAMMER by ANDREW HUDGINS INSECT LIFE OF FLORIDA by LYNDA HULL A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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