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1849–1916

A DOS'T O’ BLUES.

James Whitcomb Riley

I’ got no patience with blues at all! And I ust to kindo talk Aginst‘ em, and claim,‘ tel along last Fall, They was none in the fambly stock;

But a nephew of mine, from Eelinoy, That visited us last year, He kindo convinct me differunt While he was a-stayin’ here.

Frum ever’ - which way that blues is from, They'd tackle him ever’ ways; They'd come to him in the night, and come On Sundays, and rainy days;

They'd tackle him in corn-plantin’ time, And in harvest, and airly Fall, But a dose‘ t of blues in the wintertime, He‘ lowed, was the worst of all!

Said all diseases that ever he had — The mumps, er the rheumatiz — Er ever’ - other-day-aigger's bad Purt’ nigh as anything is!—

Er a cyarbuncle, say, on the back of his neck, Er a felon on his thumb,— But you keep the blues away from him, And all o’ the rest could come!

And he'd moan, “They's nary a leaf below! Ner a spear o’ grass in sight! And the whole wood-pile's clean under snow! And the days is dark as night!

You can n't go out — ner you can n't stay in — Lay down — stand up — ner set!” And a tetch o’ regular tyfoid-blues Would double him jest clean shet!

I writ his parents a postal-kyard, He could stay‘ tel Spring-time come; And Aprile first, as I rickollect, Was the day we shipped him home!

Most o’ his relatives, sence then, Has either give up, er quit, Er jest died off; but I understand He's the same old color yit!

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A DOS'T O’ BLUES. · James Whitcomb Riley · Poetry Cove