Rhymes That Make Me Smile

I probably have indicated in past posts that I enjoy old poetry. I am not refering to Beowolf or even the Psalms. Don't get me wrong, I dearly appreciate the writings of David, but for this post, I am referring to poems from American poets written at least a hundred or so years ago. One of the treasured items that I have that was given to me by my mother is a book called "Poems Teachers Ask For--Book I". It has been in the family for as long as I can remember and probably belonged to my grandmother. She was a school teacher in a one room school house somewhere in Minnesota.

As you can see the condition of my copy of this book is poor to say the least. But guess what? Last week while I was toiling away at my day job schlepping oxygen tanks, my dear wife Debbie was out perusing estate sales for hidden treasure and came across volumes I and II of "Poems Teachers Ask For". Both editions are in significantly better condition than my volume I.

Let me share a couple of my favorites from these volumes.

The title of this first one sounds a bit morbid but I like it because in it I can see the tender feelings of a child towards an abused animal. By the way, it is also written in a kind of dialect so please don't hesitate to read it just because it isn't in a form that you're used to.

The Dead Pussy Cat

You's as stiff an' as cold as a stone,
Little cat!
Dey's done frowed you out an' left you
alone
Little cat!
I's a-strokin' you's fur,
But you don't never purr
Nor hump up anywhere,
Little cat.
W'y is dat?
Is you's purrin' an' humpin'-up done?

An' w'y fer is you's little foot tied,
Little cat?
Did dey pisen you's tummick inside,
Little cat?
Did dey pound you wif bricks,
Or wif big nasty sticks,
Or abuse you wif kicks,
Little cat?
Tell me dat,
Did dey holler at all when you cwied?

Did it hurt werry bad w'en you died,
Little cat?
I is wet in my eyes,
'Cause I most always cwies
W'en a pussy cat dies,
Little cat,
Tink of dat,
An' I's awfully solly besides!

Dest lay still dere in de sof' gwown',
Little cat,
W'ile I tucks de gween gwass all
awoun',
Little cat.
Dey can't hurt you no more
W'en you's tired an' so sore,
Dest sleep twiet, you pore
Little cat,
Wif a pat,
An' fordet all de kicks of de town.

Marion Short

Ok, this one is a lot lighter. I hope you enjoy it as much at I have over the years.

Seein' Things

I ain't afeard uv snakes, or toads, or
bugs, or worms, or mice,
An' things 'at girls are skeered uv I
think are awful nice!
I'm pretty brave, I guess; an' yet I
hate to go to bed.
For, when I'm tucked up warm an'
snug an' when my prayers are said,
Mother tells me "Happy Dreams!" and
takes away the light,
An' leaves me lying all alone an' seein'
things at night!

Sometimes they're in the corner, some-
times they're by the door,
Sometimes they're all a-standing in the
middle uv the floor;
Sometimes they are sittin' down,
sometimes they're walkin' round
So softly and so creepy like they never
make a sound!
Sometimes they are black as ink an'
other they're white--
But the color ain't no difference when
you see things at night!

Once, when I licked a fellar 'at had just
moved on our street,
An' father sent me up to bed with out a
bite to eat,
I woke up in the dark an' saw things
standing in a row,
A-lookin' at me cross-eyed an' p'intin'
at me--so!
Oh, my! I was so skeered that time I
never slep' a mite--
It's almost alluz when I'm bad I see
things at night!

Lucky thing I ain't a girl, or I'd be
skeered to death!
Bein' I'm a boy, I duck my head an'
hold my breath;
An' I am, oh! so sorry I'm a naughty
boy, an' then
I promise to be better an' I say my
prayers again!
Gran'ma tells me that's the only way to
make it right
When a feller has been wicked an' sees
things at night!

An' so, when other naughty boys would
coax me into sin,
I try to skwush the Tempter's voice 'at
urges me within;
An' when they's pie for supper, or cakes
'at's big an' nice,
I want to--but I do not pass my plate
f'r them things twice!
No, ruther let Starvation wipe me slow-
ly out o' sight
Than I should keep a-livin' on an' seenin'
things at night!

Eugene Field

Thanks for bearing with me. I like this stuff and just wanted to share it with you. I'll catch you again later,