American Poems

Shadows on the wall
Noises down the hall
Life doesn’t frighten me at all

Bad dogs barking loud
Big ghosts in a cloud
Life doesn’t frighten me at all

Mean old Mother

I’ve got the children to tend
The clothes to mend
The floor to mop
The food to shop
Then the chicken to fry
The baby to dry
I got company

Wines of the great châteaux
Have been uncorked for you;
Come, take this terrace chair:
Examine the menu.
The view from here is such
As cannot find a match,
For

he played,
And gleaming fingers touched the keys,
As if upon their souls she played,
While the mad desire grew fierce to seize
Them in the Bastile, swiftly made
Of

O, twice the maple blushes, blushes rosy, rosy red; She blushes in the Spring-time, When aroused from Winter’s sleep, She finds herself all naked And the gaping world apeep, O,

Forsaken Knowledge
.
It was the golden age of knowledge;
It was the era of pyrite lies.
For all the feats and legends of man,
Faith marked their sullen demise.<br

OF A MOTHER FOR THE DEATH OF HER CHILD .

 A dew-drop on a wither’d leaf,
 As bright, as lovely, and as brief,
 Thy being was—thou camest from heaven,
 Like dew-drops

The Earth, a leper foul with scars and sores,
Lay naked in most hideous plight,
When Boreas flung down his ermined robe
And hid from men the sick’ning sight!

Lo where

Talk with prudence to a Beggar
Of “Potose,” and the mines!
Reverently, to the Hungry
Of your viands, and your wines!

Cautious, hint to any Captive
You have passed enfranchised feet!<br

Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home!
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home!

I looked over Jordan and what did I see?
Coming for

Up in the morning,
Out on the job,
Work like the devil for my pay,
While that lucky old Sun
Has nothing to do
But roll around heaven all day!

Work