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  2. James Whitcomb Riley
“When the frost is on the punkin”

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder ’s in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin’ turkey-cock,
And the clackin’ of the guineys, and the cluckin’ of the hens,
And the rooster’s hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O it ’s then ’...

Poet: James Whitcomb Riley
The First Blue-Bird

Jest rain and snow! and rain again!
  And dribble! drip! and blow!
Then snow! and thaw! and slush! and then—
  Some more rain and snow!

This morning I was ’most afeard
  To wake up—when, I jing!
I seen the sun shine out and heerd
  The...

Poet: James Whitcomb Riley
The Old Man and Jim

Old man never had much to say—
  ’Ceptin’ to Jim,—
And Jim was the wildest boy he had,
  And the old man jes’ wrapped up in him!
Never heerd him speak but once
Er twice in my life,—and first time was
When the army broke out, and Jim he went,...

Poet: James Whitcomb Riley
Griggsby’s Station

Pap’s got his patent right, and rich as all creation;
  But where ’s the peace and comfort that we all had before?
Le’s go a-visitin’ back to Griggsby’s Station—
  Back where we ust to be so happy and so pore!

The likes of us a-livin’ here! It ’s just a mortal...

Poet: James Whitcomb Riley