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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE RHYMES OF IRONQUILL by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

Poet Analysis

First Line: I'VE ALLUS HELD - TILL JEST OF LATE
Last Line: AS RHYMES OF IRONQUILL!
Subject(s): POETRY & POETS; RHYME;
I'VE allus held -- till jest of late --
That @3Poetry@1 and me
Got on best, not to 'sociate --
That is, @3most@1 poetry;
But t'other day my @3son-in-law,@1
Milt -- be'n in town to mill --
Fetched home a present-like, fer Ma, --
The Rhymes of Ironquill.

Milt ust to teach; and, 'course, @3his@1 views
Ranks over @3common@1 sense; --
That's @3biased@1 me, till I refuse
'Most all he rickommends. --
But Ma @3she@1 read and read along
And cried, like women will,
About that "Washerwoman's Song"
In Rhymes of Ironquill.

And then she made @3me@1 read the thing,
And found my specs and all:
And I jest leant back there -- i jing! --
My cheer ag'inst the wall --
And read and @3read,@1 and read and @3read,@1
All to myse'f -- ontil
I lit the lamp and went to bed
With Rhymes of Ironquill!

I propped myse'f up there, and -- @3durn!@1 --
I never shet an eye
Till daylight! -- hogged the whole concern
Tee-total, mighty nigh! --
I'd sigh sometimes, and cry sometimes,
Er laugh jest fit to kill --
Clean @3captured@1-like with them-air rhymes
O' that-air Ironquill!

Read that-un 'bout old "Marmaton"
'At hain't be'n ever "sized"
In Song before -- and yit's rolled on
Jest same as 'postrophized! --
Putt me in mind o' @3our@1 old crick
At @3Freeport@1 -- and the @3mill@1 --
And Hinchman's Ford -- till jest @3home@1sick --
Them Rhymes of Ironquill!

Read that-un, too, 'bout "Game o' Whist,"
And likenin' Life to fun
Like @3that@1 -- and playin' out yer fist,
However cards is run:
And them "Tobacker-Stemmers' Song"
They sung with sich a will
Down 'mongst the misery and wrong --
In Rhymes of Ironquill.

And old John Brown, who broke the sod
Of freedom's faller field
And sowed his @3heart@1 there, thankin' God
Pore slaves would git the yield --
Rained his last tears fer them and @3us@1
To irrigate and till
A crop of Song as glorious
As Rhymes of Ironquill.

And -- sergeant, died there in the War,
'At talked, out of his head . . .
He went "back to the Violet Star,"
I'll bet -- jest like he said! --
Yer Wars kin riddle bone and flesh,
And blow out brains, and spill
Life-blood, -- but @3Somepin'@1 lives on, fresh
As Rhymes of Ironquill!



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