Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE STAMMERING WIFE, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE STAMMERING WIFE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When, deeply in love with miss emily pryne
Last Line: "a dam-age instead of a blessing!"
Variant Title(s): The Stuttering Lass
Subject(s): Speech Disorders; Stuttering; Muteness


I.

WHEN, deeply in love with Miss Emily Cline,
I vowed, if the maiden would only be mine,
I would always endeavor to please her.
She blushed her consent, though the stuttering lass
Said never a word, except "You're an ass --
An ass -- an ass-iduous teaser!"

II.

But when we were married I found to my ruth
The stammering lady had spoken the truth,
For often, in obvious dudgeon,
She'd say, -- if I ventured to give her a jog
In the way of reproof, -- "You're a dog -- you're a dog --
A dog -- a dog-matic curmudgeon!"

III.

And once when I said, "We can hardly afford
This extravagant style, with our moderate hoard,"
And hinted we ought to be wiser,
She looked, I assure you, exceedingly blue,
And fretfully cried, "You're a ju -- you're a ju --
A very ju-dicious adviser!"

IV.

Again, when it happened that, wishing to shirk
Some rather unpleasant and arduous work,
I begged her to go to a neighbor;
She wanted to know why I made such a fuss,
And saucily said, "You're a cus -- cus -- cus --
You were always ac-cus-tomed to labor!"

V.

Out of temper at last with the insolent dame,
And feeling that Madam was greatly to blame
To scold me instead of caressing,
I mimicked her speech -- like a churl as I am --
And angrily said, "You're a dam -- dam -- dam --
A dam-age instead of a blessing!"





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