Riley Songs of Home Part 3

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WHO BIDES HIS TIME

Who bides his time, and day by day Faces defeat full patiently, And lifts a mirthful roundelay, However poor his fortunes be,-- He will not fail in any qualm Of poverty--the paltry clime It will grow golden in his palm, Who bides his time.

Who bides his time--he tastes the sweet Of honey in the saltest tear; And though he fares with slowest feet, Joy runs to meet him, drawing near; The birds are heralds of his cause; And, like a never-ending rhyme, The roadsides bloom in his applause, Who bides his time.

Who bides his time, and fevers not In the hot race that none achieves, Shall wear cool-wreathen laurel, wrought With crimson berries in the leaves; And he shall reign a goodly king, And sway his hand o'er every clime, With peace writ on his signet-ring, Who bides his time.

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NATURAL PERVERSITIES

I am not p.r.o.ne to moralize In scientific doubt On certain facts that Nature tries To puzzle us about,-- For I am no philosopher Of wise elucidation, But speak of things as they occur, From simple observation.

I notice _little_ things--to wit:-- I never missed a train Because I didn't _run_ for it; I never knew it rain That my umbrella wasn't lent,-- Or, when in my possession, The sun but wore, to all intent, A jocular expression.

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I never knew a creditor To dun me for a debt But I was "cramped" or "busted;" or I never knew one yet, When I had plenty in my purse, To make the least invasion,-- As I, accordingly perverse, Have courted no occasion.

Nor do I claim to comprehend What Nature has in view In giving us the very friend To trust we oughtn't to.-- But so it is: The trusty gun Disastrously exploded Is always sure to be the one We didn't think was loaded.

Our moaning is another's mirth,-- And what is worse by half, We say the funniest thing on earth And never raise a laugh: Mid friends that love us overwell, And sparkling jests and liquor, Our hearts somehow are liable To melt in tears the quicker.

We reach the wrong when most we seek The right; in like effect, We stay the strong and not the weak-- Do most when we neglect.-- Neglected genius--truth be said-- As wild and quick as tinder, The more we seek to help ahead The more we seem to hinder.

I've known the least the greatest, too-- And, on the selfsame plan, The biggest fool I ever knew Was quite a little man: We find we ought, and then we won't-- We prove a thing, then doubt it,-- Know _everything_ but when we don't Know _anything_ about it.

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A SCRAWL

I want to sing something--but this is all-- I try and I try, but the rhymes are dull As though they were damp, and the echoes fall Limp and unlovable.

Words will not say what I yearn to say-- They will not walk as I want them to, But they stumble and fall in the path of the way Of my telling my love for you.

Simply take what the scrawl is worth-- Knowing I love you as sun the sod On the ripening side of the great round earth That swings in the smile of G.o.d.

WRITIN' BACK TO THE HOME-FOLKS

My dear old friends--It jes beats all, The way you write a letter So's ever' _last_ line beats the _first_, And ever' _next_-un's better!-- W'y, ever' fool-thing you putt down You make so inte_rest_in', A feller, readin' of 'em all, Can't tell which is the _best_-un.

It's all so comfortin' and good, 'Pears-like I almost _hear_ ye And git more sociabler, you know, And hitch my cheer up near ye And jes smile on ye like the sun Acrosst the whole per-rairies In Aprile when the thaw's begun And country couples marries.

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It's all so good-old-fashioned like To _talk_ jes like we're _thinkin'_, Without no hidin' back o' fans And giggle-un and winkin', Ner sizin' how each-other's dressed-- Like some is allus doin',-- "_Is_ Marthy Ellen's basque ben _turned_ Er sh.o.r.e-enough a new-un!"--

Er "ef Steve's city-friend haint jes 'A _lee_tle kindo'-sorto'"-- Er "wears them-air blame eye-gla.s.ses Jes 'cause he hadn't ort to?"

And so straight on, _dad-libitum_, Tel all of us feels, _some_way, Jes like our "comp'ny" wuz the best When we git up to come 'way!

That's why I like _old_ friends like you,-- Jes 'cause you're so _abidin'_.-- Ef I was built to live "_fer keeps_,"

My principul residin'

Would be amongst the folks 'at kep'

Me allus _thinkin'_ of 'em, And sorto' eechin' all the time To tell 'em how I love 'em.--

Sich folks, you know, I jes love so I wouldn't live without 'em, Er couldn't even drap asleep But what I _dreamp'_ about 'em,-- And ef we minded G.o.d, I guess We'd _all_ love one-another Jes like one fam'bly,--me and Pap And Madaline and Mother.

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LAUGHTER HOLDING BOTH HIS SIDES

Ay, thou varlet!--Laugh away!

All the world's a holiday!

Laugh away, and roar and shout Till thy hoa.r.s.e tongue lolleth out!

Bloat thy cheeks, and bulge thine eyes Unto bursting; pelt thy thighs With thy swollen palms, and roar As thou never hast before!

l.u.s.tier! wilt thou! peal on peal!

Stiflest? Squat and grind thy heel-- Wrestle with thy loins, and then Wheeze thee whiles, and whoop again!