Guest poem sent in by Suresh Ramasubramanian Keeping in step with the recent "narrative poems" theme, here's one more, an old favorite.
(Poem #1286) Jim Bludso of the Prairie Belle Wall, no! I can't tell whar he lives, Becase he don't live, you see; Leastways, he's got out of the habit Of livin' like you and me. Whar have you been for the last three year That you haven't heard folks tell How Jimmy Bludso passed in his cheeks The night of the Prairie Belle? He were n't no saint, them engineers Is all pretty much alike, One wife in Natchez-under-the-Hill And another one here, in Pike; A keerless man in his talk was Jim, And an awkward hand in a row, But he never flunked, and he never lied, I reckon he never knowed how. And this was all the religion he had, To treat his engine well; Never be passed on the river; To mind the pilot's bell; And if ever the Prairie Belle took fire, A thousand times he swore, He'd hold her nozzle agin the bank Till the last soul got ashore. All boats has their day on the Mississip, And her day come at last, The Movastar was a better boat, But the Belle she wouldn't be passed. And so she come tearin' along that night The oldest craft on the line- With a nigger squat on her safety-valve, And her furnace crammed, rosin and pine. The fire bust out as she clared the bar, And burnt a hole in the night, And quick as a flash she turned, and made For that willer-bank on the right. There was runnin' and cursin', but Jim yelled out, Over all the infernal roar, "I'll hold her nozzle agin the bank Till the last galoot's ashore." Through the hot, black breath of the burnin' boat Jim Bludso's voice was heard, And they all had trust in his cussedness, And knowed he would keep his word. And, sure's you're born, they all got off Afore the smokestacks fell,- And Bludso's ghost went up alone In the smoke of the Prairie Belle. He were n't no saint, but at jedgment I'd run my chance with Jim, 'Longside of some pious gentlemen That would n't shook hands with him. He seen his duty, a dead-sure thing, And went for it thar and then; And Christ ain't a-going to be too hard On a man that died for men. |
This poem was written in 1871 by John Hay, formerly one of Lincoln's private secretaries and later secretary of State under William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt. Hay's poem, based on the true story of a Missisippi riverboat engineer who died saving his passengers, became instantly popular, making him, at that time, as famous as Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. This was a fairly staple poem in American textbooks, but might not be too popular now, given that political correctness requires that poems with the "N" word (or even books like Huck Finn) get bowdlerized or even outright banned from school textbooks. This is a poem that is quite easy on the ears, and it has been set to ballad / country and western music by several people. A touch melodramatic, but then... For more on the "dramatic poem" genre, try this rather well written article - http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/dramatic.html srs
10 comments: ( or Leave a comment )
I was so pleased to find the words to this poem. I remember my grandfather quoting the line that said. "and Bludso's ghost went up alone..." I was only about 8 then and now at 70, I finally tracked it down. God bless Google and this post.
In early 60's this was a poem in my Junior High School English Lit Book, and I would read it over and over again. I haven't seen it since. Thanx so much for keeping it alive.
thanks so much for that great blog and thanks also for accepting my links thanks
طريقة عمل الدونات طريقة عمل الغريبة طريقة عمل البان كيك طريقة عمل الكنافة طريقة عمل البسبوسة طريقة عمل الكيك طريقة عمل عجينة البيتزا فوائد القرفه فوائد الزبيب
Untuk Mengobati Kutil Kelamin Pada Pria dan Wanita Tanpa ini tidak hanya dapat dilakukan melalui pengobatan medis dengan cara operasi atau tapi juga sudah banyak pengobatan tradisional
kutil Terbaik Untuk Pria dengan mutu dan kualitas yang terjamin tanpa efek samping
Thanks.
http://rezaresep.soup.io/ , http://resepmurah.bravesites.com/ , http://tinydelusionexpert.tumblr.com/ , https://storify.com/rezal99 , http://rezacook.drupalgardens.com/blog
This was a fantastic article. Really loved reading your we blog post. The information was very informative and helpful...
Obat Jengger Ayam Untuk Pria
Obat Jengger Ayam Untuk Wanita
Cara Mengobati Jengger Ayam Pada Wanita
Cara Mengobati Jengger Ayam Wanita
Gambar Penyakit Jengger Ayam Wanita
Gambar Obat Tradisional Jengger Ayam
Nama Obat Jengger Ayam
Obat Jengger Ayam Yang Murah di Apotek
Apakah Jengger Ayam Bisa Sembuh
Obat Manjur Untuk Jengger Ayam
Cara Ampuh Menghilangkan Jengger Ayam
Obat Jengger Ayam Herbal
Obat Jengger Ayam Alami
Obat Jengger Ayam Tradisional
Obat Jengger Ayam Alternatif
Obat Jengger Ayam di Apotek
Obat Jengger Ayam Untuk Wanita
Obat Jengger Ayam Untuk Pria
Obat Jengger Ayam Ibu Hamil
Obat Jengger Ayam Ibu Menyusui
Obat Jengger Ayam Tanpa Efek Samping
THANK'S for sharing.
Cara Ampuh Menghilangkan Kutil Kelamin
Cara Ampuh Untuk Menghilangkan Kutil Kelamin
Cara Ampuh Menghilangkan Bintik Kutil Kelamin
Cara Ampuh Buat Menghilangkan Kutil Kelamin
Cara Yang Ampuh Menghilangkan Kutil Kelamin
Obat Sipilis Jogja
obat sipilis de nature
Obat Sipilis Tradisional Daun Sirih
obat sipilis paling ampuh
obat sipilis di apotik
obat sipilis raja singa
Obat Sipilis Jogja
obat sipilis de nature
obat sipilis tradisional daun sirih
obat sipilis di apotik umum
obat sipilis dokter
obat sipilis generik
t sipilis yang paling ampuh
obat sipilis
Obat Sipilis Tradisional
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik
Obat Sipilis Alami
Obat Sipilis Paling Ampuh
Obat Sipilis Dengan Bayam Duri
Obat Sipilis Pada Pria
Obat Sipilis Raja Singa
Obat Sipilis Jogja
Obat Sipilis De Nature
Obat Sipilis Di Jual Di Apotik
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Terdekat
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Kimia Farma
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Resep Dokter
Obat Sipilis Di Kimia Farma
Obat Sipilis Jogja
obat sipilis de nature
Obat Sipilis Tradisional Daun Sirih
obat sipilis paling ampuh
obat sipilis di apotik
obat sipilis raja singa
Obat Sipilis Jogja
obat sipilis de nature
obat sipilis tradisional daun sirih
obat sipilis di apotik umum
obat sipilis dokter
obat sipilis generik
t sipilis yang paling ampuh
obat sipilis
Obat Sipilis Tradisional
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik
Obat Sipilis Alami
Obat Sipilis Paling Ampuh
Obat Sipilis Dengan Bayam Duri
Obat Sipilis Pada Pria
Obat Sipilis Raja Singa
Obat Sipilis Jogja
Obat Sipilis De Nature
Obat Sipilis Di Jual Di Apotik
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Terdekat
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Kimia Farma
Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Resep Dokter
Obat Sipilis Di Kimia Farma
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
Post a Comment