A Bear Family Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBAACCDD EEBAFFCCGGD D HEEIIJJKK LLKKM MCCKKJJKKNOAAEEAA AAKKAAKK AAKKKK HH E PQAARR| Wunst 'way West in Illinoise | A |
| Wuz two Bears an' their two boys | A |
| An' the two boys' names you know | B |
| Wuz like ours is Jim an' Jo | B |
| An' their parunts' names wuz same's | A |
| All big grown up people's names | A |
| Ist Miz Bear the neighbers call | C |
| 'Em an' Mister Bear 'at's all | C |
| Yes an' Miz Bear scold him too | D |
| Ist like grown folks shouldn't do | D |
| - | |
| Wuz a grea' big river there | E |
| An' 'crosst that 's a mountain where | E |
| Old Bear said some day he'd go | B |
| Ef she don't quit scoldin'so | A |
| So one day when he been down | F |
| The river fishin' 'most to town | F |
| An' come back 'thout no fish a tall | C |
| An' Jim an' Jo they run an' bawl | C |
| An' tell their ma their pa hain't fetch' | G |
| No fish she scold again an' ketch | G |
| Her old broom up an' biff him too | D |
| - | |
| An' he ist cry an' say ' Boo hoo | D |
| I told you what I 'd do some day' ' | - |
| An' he ist turned an' runned away | H |
| To where's the grea' big river there | E |
| An' ist splunged in an' swum to where | E |
| The mountain's at 'way th'other side | I |
| An' clumbed up there An' Miz Bear cried | I |
| An' little Jo an' little Jim | J |
| Ist like their ma bofe cried fer him | J |
| But he clumbed on clean out o' sight | K |
| He wuz so mad An' served 'em right | K |
| - | |
| Nen when the Bear got 'way on top | L |
| The mountain he heerd somepin' flop | L |
| Its wings an' somepin' else he heerd | K |
| A rattlin' like An' he wuz skeerd | K |
| An' looked 'way up an' Mercy sake | M |
| - | |
| It wuz a' Eagul an' a SNAKE | M |
| An' sir the Snake he bite an' kill' | C |
| The Eagul an' they bofe fall till | C |
| They strike the ground k'spang k'spat | K |
| Wite where the Bear wuz standin' at | K |
| An' when here come the Snake at him | J |
| The Bear he think o' little Jim | J |
| An' Jo he did an' their ma too | K |
| All safe at home an' he ist flew | K |
| Back down the mountain an' could hear | N |
| The old Snake rattlin' sharp an' clear | O |
| Wite clos't behind An' Bear he's so | A |
| All tired out by time you know | A |
| He git down to the river there | E |
| He know' he can't swim back to where | E |
| His folks is at But ist wite nen | A |
| He see a boat an' six big men | A |
| - | |
| 'At's been a shootin' ducks An' so | A |
| He skeerd them out the boat you know | A |
| An' ist jumped in an' Snake he tried | K |
| To jump in too but failed outside | K |
| Where all the water wuz an' so | A |
| The Bear grabs one the things you row | A |
| The boat wiv an' ist whacks the head | K |
| Of the old Snake an' kills him dead | K |
| - | |
| An' when he's killed him dead w'y nen | A |
| The old Snake's drownded dead again | A |
| Nen Bear set in the boat an' bowed | K |
| His back an' rowed an' rowed an' rowed | K |
| Till he's safe home so tired he can't | K |
| Do nothin' but lay there an' pant | K |
| An' tell his childern 'Bresh my coat ' | - |
| An' tell his wife 'Go chain my boat ' | - |
| An' they're so glad he's back they say | H |
| 'They knowed he's comin' thataway | H |
| To ist surprise the dear ones there ' | - |
| An' Jim an' Jo they dried his hair | E |
| - | |
| An' pulled the burrs out an' their ma | P |
| She ist set there an' helt his paw | Q |
| Till he wuz sound asleep an' nen | A |
| She tell' him she won't scold again | A |
| Never never never | R |
| Ferever an' ferever | R |
James Whitcomb Riley
(1)
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About A Bear Family
A Bear Family is a poem by James Whitcomb Riley. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
Write your comment about A Bear Family poem by James Whitcomb Riley
Karen: Yes! I loved this story :)
Scott King: My Dad used to read us poems by JWR when we were little. My favorites were The Raggety man and Little Orphan Aunty. I do remember the above poem as well.
Karen Sabo: Yes! I had so many nightmares about being chased by a bear, but I always asked for my dad to read it to me every night. Silly me :)
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