Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GOIN' TO THE FAIR; OLD STYLE, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

GOIN' TO THE FAIR; OLD STYLE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: When me an' my ma an' pa went to the fair
Last Line: "like you an' your pa an' ma went to the fair!"
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Children; Festivals; Childhood; Fairs; Pageants


WHEN Me an' my Ma an' Pa went to the Fair,
Ma borried Mizz Rollins-uz rigg to go there,
'Cause our buggy's new, an' Ma says, "Mercy-sake!
It wouldn't hold half the folks she's go' to take!"
An' she took Marindy, an' Jane's twins, an' Jo,
An' Aunty Van Meters-uz girls -- an' old Slo'
Magee, 'at's so fat, come a-scrougin' in there,
When me an' my Ma an' Pa went to the Fair!

The road's full o' loads-full 'ist ready to bu'st,
An' all hot, an' smokin' an' chokin' with dust;
The Wolffs an' their wagon, an' Brizentines, too --
An' horses 'ist r'ared when the toot-cars come through!
An' 'way from fur off we could hear the band play,
An' peoples all there 'u'd 'ist whoop an' hooray!
An' I stood on the dashboard, an' Pa boost' me there
'Most high as the fence, when we went to the Fair.

An' when we 'uz there an' inside, we could see
Wher' the flag's on a pole wher' a show's go' to be;
An' boys up in trees, an' the grea'-big balloon
'At didn't goned up a-tall, all afternoon!
An' a man in the crowd there gived money away --
An' Pa says "he'd ruther earn his by the day!" --
An' he gim-me some, an' says "ain't nothin' there
Too good fer his boy," when we went to the Fair!

Wisht The Raggedy Man wuz there, too! -- but he says,
"Don't talk fairs to me, child! I went to one; -- yes, --
An' they wuz a swing there ye rode -- an' I rode,
An' a thing-um-a-jing 'at ye blowed -- an' I blowed;
An' they wuz a game 'at ye played -- an' I played,
An' a hitch in the same wher' ye paid -- an' I paid;
An' they wuz two bad to one good peoples there --
Like you an' your Pa an' Ma went to the Fair!"





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