Chairley Burke

It's Chairley Burke's in town, b'ys!    He's down til "Jamesy's Place,"
Wid a bran'-new shave upon 'um, an' the fhwhuskers aff his face;
He's quit the Section-Gang last night, and yez can chalk it down
There's goin' to be the divil's toime, sence Chairley Burke's in town.

It's treatin' iv'ry b'y he is, an' poundin' on the bar
Till iv'ry man he's drinkin' wid must shmoke a foine cigar;
An' Missus Murphy's little Kate, that's coomin' there for beer,
Can't pay wan cint the bucketful, the whilst that Chairley's here!

He's joompin' oor the tops o' sthools, the both forninst an' back!
He'll lave yez pick the blessed flure, an' walk the straightest crack!
He's liftin' barrels wid his teeth, and singin "Garry Owen,"
Till all the house be strikin' hands, sence Chairley Burke's in town.

The Road-Yaird hands coomes dhroppin' in, an' niver goin' back;
An' there's two freights upon the switch--the wan on aither track--
An' Mr. Gearry, from The Shops, he's mad enough to swear,
An' durstn't spake a word but grin, the whilst that Chairley's there!

Och! Chairley! Chairley! Chairley Burke! ye divil, wid yer ways
O' dhrivin' all the throubles aff, these dhark an' ghloomy days!
Ohone! that it's meself, wid all the graifs I have to dhrown,
Must lave me pick to resht a bit, sence Chairley Burke's in town.

James Whitcomb Riley

James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. He was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and the "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and children's poetry respectively. Over his career, Riley authored approximately 1,000 poems, including "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man". His influence extended into the 20th century, and his works continued to be celebrated for their nostalgic and rural themes.

James Whitcomb Riley

Mr. Hammond's Parable

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

A Dream Of Autumn.

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

Her Beautiful Eyes.

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

Bedouin.

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

Officer Brady, The Modern Recruit

            I

        Sez Alderman Grady
        To Officer Brady:
        "G'wan! Ye're no lady!
            Luk here what ye've done:
        Ye've run in Red Hogan,
        Ye've pulled Paddy Grogan,
        Ye've fanned Misther Brogan
            An' called him a 'gun'!

"Way up in Tammany Hall
They's a gintleman layin' f'r you!
'An' what,' sez he, 't' 'ell,' sez he,
'Does the villyun mane to do?
Lock up the ass in his shtall!
He'll rue the day I rue,
F'r he's pulled the dive that kapes me alive,
An' he'll go to the goats! Whurroo!'"

            II

        Sez Alderman Grady
        To Officer Brady:
        "Ye pinched young Mullady
            F'r crackin' a safe!
        An' Sinitor Moran
       ...

Robert William Chambers

Back From Town

Old friends allus is the best,
Halest-like and heartiest:
Knowed us first, and don't allow
We're so blame much better now!
They was standin' at the bars
When we grabbed "the kivvered kyars"
And lit out fer town, to make
Money - and that old mistake!

We thought then the world we went
Into beat "The Settlement,"
And the friends 'at we'd make there
Would beat any anywhere! -
And they do - fer that's their biz:
They beat all the friends they is -
'Cept the raal old friends like you
'At staid at home, like I'd ort to!

W'y, of all the good things yit
I ain't shet of, is to quit
Business, and git back to sheer
These old comforts waitin' here -
These old friends; and these old hands
'At a feller understands;
These old winter n...

James Whitcomb Riley

Tugg Martin.

    I.

    Tugg Martin's tough. - No doubt o' that!
    And down there at
    The town he come from word's bin sent
    Advisin' this-here Settle-ment
        To kindo' humor Tugg, and not
    To git him hot -
    Jest pass his imperfections by,
    And he's as good as pie!


    II.

    They claim he's wanted back there. - Yit
    The officers they mostly quit
    Insistin' when
    They notice Tugg's so back'ard, and
    Sorto' gives 'em to understand
        He druther not! - A Deputy
        (The slickest one you ever see!)
    Tackled him last - "disguisin' then,"
    As Tugg says, "as a gentlemen!" -
        You 'd ort o' hear Tugg tell it! - My!
    I thought I'd ...

James Whitcomb Riley

Down On Wriggle Crick

"Best time to kill a hog's when he's fat." - Old Saw.

Mostly folks is law-abidin'
Down on Wriggle Crick,
Seein' they's no Squire residin'
In our bailywick;
No grand juries, no suppeenies,
Ner no vested rights to pick
Out yer man, jerk up and jail ef
He's outragin' Wriggle Crick!


Wriggle Crick hain't got no lawin',
Ner no suits to beat;
Ner no court-house gee-and-hawin'
Like a County-seat;
Hain't no waitin' round fer verdick,
Ner non-gittin' witness-fees;
Ner no thiefs 'at gits "new heain's,"
By some lawyer slick as grease!

Wriggle Cricks's leadin' spirit
Is old Johnts Culwell,
Keeps post-office, and right near it
Owns what's called "The Grand Hotel"
(Warehouse now - ) buys wheat and ships it;
Gits out ties,...

James Whitcomb Riley

The Way It Wuz.

Las' July - an', I persume
    'Bout as hot
As the ole Gran'-Jury room
    Where they sot! -
Fight 'twixt Mike an' Dock McGriff -
'Pears to me jes' like as if
    I'd a dremp' the whole blame thing -
    Allus ha'nts me roun' the gizzard
    When they're nightmares on the wing,
        An' a feller's blood's jes' friz!
    Seed the row from a to izzard -
    'Cause I wuz a-standin' as clost to 'em
        As me an' you is!

Tell you the way it wuz -
    An' I do n't want to see,
Like some fellers does,
    When they 're goern to be
Any kind o' fuss -
On'y makes a rumpus wuss
    Far to interfere
    When their dander's riz -
But I wuz a-standin' as clost to 'em
As me an' you is!

I wuz kind o' strayin'
 ...

James Whitcomb Riley

Up And Down Old Brandywine

Up and down old Brandywine,
    In the days 'at's past and gone -
With a dad-burn hook-and line
    And a saplin' pole - swawn!
        I've had more fun, to the square
        Inch, than ever ANYwhere!
        Heaven to come can't discount MINE
        Up and down old Brandywine!

Hain't no sense in WISHIN' - yit
    Wisht to goodness I COULD jes
"Gee" the blame' world round and git
    Back to that old happiness! -
        Kindo' drive back in the shade
        "The old Covered Bridge" there laid
        'Crosst the crick, and sorto' soak
        My soul over, hub and spoke!

Honest, now! - it hain't no DREAM
    'At I'm wantin', - but THE FAC'S
As they wuz; the same old stream,
    And the same old times, i jacks! -
        Gim...

James Whitcomb Riley