How John Quit The Farm Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Nobody on the old farm here but Mother me and John	A
Except of course the extry he'p when harvest time come on	A
And then I want to say to you we needed he'p about	B
As you'd admit ef you'd a seen the way the crops turned out	B
	-
A better quarter section ner a richer soil warn't found	C
Than this here old home place o' ourn fer fifty miles around	C
The house was small but plenty big we found it from the day	D
That John our only livin' son packed up and went way	D
	-
You see we tuck sich pride in John his mother more 'n me	E
That's natchurul but both of us was proud as proud could be	E
Fer the boy from a little chap was most oncommon bright	F
And seemed in work as well as play to take the same delight	F
	-
He allus went a whistlin' round the place as glad at heart	G
As robins up at five o'clock to git an airly start	G
And many a time 'fore daylight Mother's waked me up to say	D
'Jest listen David listen Johnny's beat the birds to day '	-
	-
High sperited from boyhood with a most inquirin' turn	H
He wanted to learn ever'thing on earth they was to learn	H
He'd ast more plaguey questions in a mortal minute here	I
Than his grandpap in Paradise could answer in a year	J
	-
And read w'y his own mother learnt him how to read and spell	K
And 'The Childern of the Abbey' w'y he knowed that book as well	K
At fifteen as his parents and 'The Pilgrim's Progress ' too	L
Jest knuckled down the shaver did and read 'em through and through	L
	-
At eighteen Mother 'lowed the boy must have a better chance	M
That we ort to educate him under any circumstance	M
And John he j'ined his mother and they ding donged and kep' on	A
Tel I sent him off to school in town half glad that he was gone	N
	-
But I missed him w'y of course I did The Fall and Winter through	L
I never built the kitchen fire er split a stick in two	L
Er fed the stock er butchered er swung up a gambrel pin	O
But what I thought o' John and wished that he was home agin	P
	-
He'd come sometimes on Sund'ys most and stay the Sund'y out	B
And on Thanksgivin' Day he 'peared to like to be about	B
But a change was workin' on him he was stiller than before	Q
And did n't joke ner laugh ner sing and whistle any more	Q
	-
And his talk was all so proper and I noticed with a sigh	R
He was tryin' to raise side whiskers and had on a striped tie	R
And a standin' collar ironed up as stiff and slick as bone	S
And a breast pin and a watch and chain and plug hat of his own	S
	-
But when Spring weather opened out and John was to come home	T
And he'p me through the season I was glad to see him come	U
But my happiness that evening with the settin' sun went down	V
When he bragged of 'a position' that was offered him in town	V
	-
'But ' says I 'you'll not accept it ' 'W'y of course	W
I will ' says he	E
'This drudgin' on a farm ' he says 'is not the life fer me	E
I've set my stakes up higher ' he continued light and gay	D
'And town's the place fer me and I'm a goin' right away '	-
	-
And go he did his mother clingin' to him at the gate	X
A pleadin' and a cryin' but it hadn't any weight	X
I was tranquiller and told her 'twarn't no use to worry so	Y
And onclasped her arms from round his neck round mine and let him go	Y
	-
I felt a little bitter feelin' foolin' round about	B
The aidges of my conscience but I didn't let it out	B
I simply retch out trimbly like and tuck the boy's hand	Z
And though I did n't say a word I knowed he'd understand	Z
	-
And well sence then the old home here was mighty lonesome shore	Q
With me a workin' in the field and Mother at the door	Q
Her face ferever to'rds the town and fadin' more and more	Q
Her only son nine miles away a clerkin' in a store	Q
	-
The weeks and months dragged by us and sometimes the boy would write	F
A letter to his mother savin' that his work was light	F
And not to feel oneasy about his health a bit	A2
Though his business was confinin' he was gittin' used to it	A2
	-
And sometimes he would write and ast how I was gittin' on	A
And ef I had to pay out much fer he'p sence he was gone	N
And how the hogs was doin' and the balance of the stock	B2
And talk on fer a page er two jest like he used to talk	C2
	-
And he wrote along 'fore harvest that he guessed he would git home	T
Fer business would of course be dull in town But didn't come	U
We got a postal later sayin' when they had no trade	D2
They filled the time 'invoicin' goods ' and that was why he staid	D2
	-
And then he quit a writin' altogether Not a word	E2
Exceptin' what the neighbors brung who'd been to town and heard	E2
What store John was clerkin' in and went round to inquire	F2
If they could buy their goods there less and sell their produce higher	G2
	-
And so the Summer faded out and Autumn wore away	D
And a keener Winter never fetched around Thanksgivin' Day	D
The night before that day of thanks I'll never quite fergit	D
The wind a howlin' round the house it makes me creepy yit	D
	-
And there set me and Mother me a twistin' at the prongs	H2
Of a green scrub ellum forestick with a vicious pair of tongs	I2
And Mother sayin' ' David David ' in a' undertone	S
As though she thought that I was thinkin' bad words unbeknown	S
	-
'I've dressed the turkey David fer to morrow ' Mother said	D
A tryin' to wedge some pleasant subject in my stubborn head	D
'And the mince meat I'm a mixin' is perfection mighty nigh	R
And the pound cake is delicious rich ' 'Who'll eat 'em ' I says I	R
	-
'The cramberries is drippin sweet ' says Mother runnin' on	A
P'tendin' not to hear me 'and somehow I thought of John	A
All the time they was a jellin' fer you know they allus was	J2
His favour he likes 'em so ' Says I 'Well s'pose he does '	-
	-
'Oh nothin' much ' says Mother with a quiet sort o' smile	K2
'This gentleman behind my cheer may tell you after while '	-
And as I turned and looked around some one riz up and leant	D
And put his arms round Mother's neck and laughed in low content	D
	-
'It's me ' he says 'your fool boy John come back to shake your hand	D
Set down with you and talk with you and make you understand	D
How dearer yit than all the world is this old home that we	E
Will spend Thanksgivin' in fer life jest Mother you and me '	-
	-
	-
	-
Nobody on the old farm here but Mother me and John	A
Except of course the extry he'p when harvest time comes on	A
And then I want to say to you we need sich he'p about	D
As you'd admit ef you could see the way the crops turns out	D

James Whitcomb Riley

How John Quit The Farm Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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