Classic Poem

The Poems here at Home! — Who'll write 'em down,
Jes' as they air — in Country and in Town? —
Sowed thick as clods is 'crost the fields and lanes,
Er these-'ere little hop-toads when it rains! —
Who'll " voice " 'em? as I heerd a feller say
'At speechified on Freedom, t'other day,
And soared the Eagle tel, it 'peared to me,
She wasn't bigger'n a bumblebee!

Who'll sort 'em out and set 'em down, says I,
'At's got a stiddy hand enough to try
To do 'em justice 'thout a-foolin' some,
And headin' facts off when they want to come? —
Who's got the lovin' eye, and heart, and brain
To reco'nize 'at nothin's made in vain —
'At the Good Bein' made the bees and birds
And brutes first choice, and us-folks afterwards?

What We want, as I sense it, in the line
O' poetry is somepin' Yours and Mine —
Somepin' with live stock in it, and out-doors,
And old crick-bottoms, snags, and sycamores:
Putt weeds in — pizen-vines, and underbresh,
As well as johnny-jump-ups, all so fresh
And sassy-like! — and groun'-squir'ls, — yes, and " We, "
As sayin' is, — " We, Us and Company! "

Putt in old Nature's sermonts, — them's the best, —
And 'casion'ly hang up a hornets' nest
'At boys 'at's run away from school can git
At handy-like — and let 'em tackle it!
Let us be wrought on, of a truth, to feel
Our proneness fer to hurt more than we heal,
In ministratin' to our vain delights —
Fergittin' even insec's has their rights!

No " Ladies' Amaranth, " ner " Treasury " book —
Ner " Night Thoughts, " nuther — ner no " Lally Rook " !
We want some poetry 'at's to Our taste,
Made out o' truck 'at's jes' a-goin' to waste
'Cause smart folks thinks it's altogether too
Outrageous common — 'cept fer me and you! —
Which goes to argy, all sich poetry
Is 'bliged to rest its hopes on You and Me.