Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PRIOR TO MISS BELLE'S APPEARANCE, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PRIOR TO MISS BELLE'S APPEARANCE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: What makes you come here fer, mister
Last Line: Ist fly-an' ever-thing! . . . I wisht I'd die!
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Children; Family Life; Childhood; Relatives


What makes you come here fer, Mister,
So much to our house? -- say?
Come to see our big sister! --
An' Charley he says 'at you kissed her
An' he ketched you, th'uther day! --
Didn' you, Charley? -- But we p'omised Belle
An' crossed our heart to never to tell --
'Cause SHE gived us some o' them-er
Chawk'lut-drops 'at you bringed to her!

Charley he's my little b'uther --
An' we has a-mostest fun,
Don't we, Charley? -- Our Muther,
Whenever we whips one anuther,
Tries to whip us -- an' we run --
Don't we, Charley? -- An' nen, bime-by,
Nen she gives us cake -- an' pie --
Don't she, Charley? -- when we come in
An' pomise never to do it ag'in!

He's named Charley. -- I'm Willie --
An' I'm got the purtiest name!
But Uncle Bob he calls me "Billy" --
Don't he, Charley? -- 'N' our filly
We named "Billy," the same
Ist like me! An' our Ma said
'At "Bob puts foolishnuss into our head!" --
Didn' she, Charley? -- An' SHE don't know
Much about Boys! -- 'Cause Bob said so!

Baby's a funniest feller!
Nain't no hair on his head --
IS they, Charley? -- It's meller
Wite up there! An' ef Belle er
Us ask wuz we that way, Ma said, --
"Yes; an' yer Pa's head wuz soft as that,
An' it's that way yet!" -- An' Pa grabs his hat
An' says, "Yes, childern, she's right about Pa --
'Cause that's the reason he married yer Ma!"

An' our Ma says 'at "Belle couldn'
Ketch nothin' at all but ist 'BOWS!" --
An' PA says 'at "you're soft as puddun!" --
An' Uncle Bob says "you're a good-un --
'Cause he can tell by yer nose!"-
Didn' he, Charley? -- An' when Belle'll play
In the poller on th' pianer, some day,
Bob makes up funny songs about you,
Till she gits mad-like he wants her to!

Our sister Fanny she's 'leven
Years old! 'At's mucher 'an I --
Ain't it, Charley? . . . I'm seven! --
But our sister Fanny's in Heaven!
Nere's where you go ef you die! --
Don't you, Charley? -- Nen you has wings --
Ist like Fanny! -- an' purtiest things! --
Don't you, Charley? -- An' nen you can fly --
Ist fly-an' ever-thing! . . . I Wisht I'D die!






Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net