Classic and Contemporary Poetry
RABBIT, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: I s'pose it takes a feller 'at's be'n Last Line: Fer eatin' purposes! Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): Animals; Country Life; Rabbits; Youth; Hares | ||||||||
I S'POSE it takes a feller 'at's be'n Raised in a country-town, like me, To 'preciate rabbits! . . . Eight er ten Bellerin' boys and two er three Yelpin' dawgs all on the trail O' one little pop-eyed cottontail! 'Bout the first good fall o' snow -- So's you kin track 'em, don't you know, Where they've run, -- and one by one Hop 'em up and chase 'em down And prod 'em out of a' old bresh-pile Er a holler log they're a-hidin' roun', Er, way en-nunder the ricked cord-wood Er crosstie-stack by the railroad track 'Bout a mile Out o' sight o' the whole ding town! . . . Well! them's times 'at I call good! Rabbits! -- w'y, as my thoughts goes back To them old boyhood days o' mine, I kin sic him now and see "Old Jack" A-plowin' snow in a rabbit-track And a-pitchin' over him, head and heels, Like a blame' hat-rack, As the rabbit turns fer the timber-line Down the County Ditch through the old cornfields. . . . Yes, and I'll say right here to you, Rabbits that boys has earnt, like that -- Skinned and hung fer a night or two On the old back-porch where the pump's done froze -- Then fried 'bout right, where your brekfust's at, With hot brown gravy and shortenin' bread, -- Rabbits, like them -- er I ort to 'a' said, I s'pose, Rabbits like those Ain't so p'ticalar pore, I guess, Fer eatin' purposes! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SNOWSHOE HARE by MARY OLIVER THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF: 3. FEEDING THE RABBITS by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR FEBRUARY: THE BOY BREUGHEL by NORMAN DUBIE UNCLE'S FIRST RABBIT by LORNA DEE CERVANTES BEHOLDING THE HARE by EAMON GRENNAN THE OLD SQUIRE by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT SONG OF THE RABBITS OUTSIDE THE TAVERN by ELIZABETH JANE COATSWORTH A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
|