‘ T O ALL me n a n d wome n wh o a r e fo r t u n at e e n o u h t o v e b a c k i n t h e c o u n t r g li y , “ th e s e B a c k C o u nt r y P o e ms a r e d e d i c at e d by A TH U O R . C o r i h 1 8 2 b P o e r P u b l rs h i n p y g t , 3 , y t t g ’ ‘ Ti s 720 5 Me r ea i es l s i n er g g , W/z o fr i es Z/ze Zof l i es i f/zem es ‘ H e i s Me i r i t e o ér i ii er j y g , Wee l ei /s li i s s i m /es f d r ea m fi s . H e i s Me r ea fes i e el g p , Wee wi l l r en o u n ce a l l a r t , ‘ A n d ta ke ki s k ea r i m i d s /z o zo i f ‘ T0 ever y o tker /i ea r i W/z o wr i tes 7m [ea r n ed r i dd l e , ‘ B i t e s i n s ki s s i m /es z r i m e g fi , ‘ Ta ke-s li i s k ea r i s Zr i i i g s f ar a n d l a s ki s ea s i es i me A p y l l . TABLE OF CONTENTS. P A G E DEDICATION D EDICATORY POEM T H E VO LU NT E E R O RGANIST T HE U N CANOONU C MOUNTAINS T HE R AILROAD T HROUGH THE FARM T HE GRAVE WITHIN THE G LEN BOBO LINK PHILOSOPHY . T H E T O LLBRIDGE KEEPER T HE R OAD T o BOSTON W’ ’ “ E N M E LINDY T O L ME YE S . NE W YEAR R IGHT E OU SNE ss T HE PATH T HROUGH THE WOOD JIM ’ S FUTURE A CHILD ’ S QUESTION PATHS T HE MILKING OF THE Co w MEMORIAL DAY T H E BURSTING OF THE BOOM T HE CARVEN NAME ’ T HE E ASTER—MAIDEN S H YMN OF PRAISE ’ JOHN B IL L INGT ON S JOURNEY SPRING P OT E R Y T H E A GE OF L IGHTNING T HE FAc —WORK MAIDEN BOSTON AND G LORY T H E INVENTOR ’ T H E A UCTIONEER S G IPT ’ T H E A GRICULTURAL E DITOR S POEM T HE QUESTION T HE DIPPER AND THE SEA T H E WAY TO SL E E PT OWN MY A NARCHIST BOARDER T H E SONG THAT SILAS S U NG T H E POET AT PLAY ’ T HEY DON T MAKE CONNECTIONS A FATAL DISEASE T HE MEN WHO MISS THE T RAIN T H E SONGS OF THE CORN T H E BROOK BENEATH THE SNOW N o H OPE FOR E NGLISH L ITERATURE T H E O L D MAN SINGS . T HE T URNPIKE R OAD WHERE THE SUN G OES DOWN H U L L o I T WO KINDS OF M EN COLUM BUS FATHER ’ S JOURNEY No FOREIGNERS NEED A PPLY ’ ’ STAN U P AN G IT H IT FAM ILY FINANCIE R IN G U NCLE E BEN ’ S CONSERVATISM T wo FRIENDS E MERSON CORRECTED ’ T HE E LDER S SERMON SHOR T E M SHY AND H ERBERT SPENCER SOMETIM E O R U T H E R WAITING FOR THE MAI L PETER ’ S QUESTIONS T HE L AND OF THE L E FT T H E SIL L ICKM AN T H E PIONEER WOODCHU CKING DIVORCE A N U NAMBITIOUS MAN T HE U NPARDONA BLE SIN A FALL FROM G RACE T HE T RUNDLE BED V ALLEY ’ G OD—B E—G LORIFIED JONES MORTGAGE ’ T HE QUARTETTE S A NTHEM . H E WANTED T o KNOW A G REAT CONTROVERSIALIST T HE SPARE R OOM E NOCH AND CYRUS AND JERRY AND ’ T HE GOVERNOR S FATHER INGIN SUMMER CHOR E s T E D AND T OM T HE INKSTAND BATTLE SHE T ALKED T HE R AIL A ROUND TH E JAIL T HE L AND OF G IT —T HARE T H E CALF ON THE L AWN ’ SHO R T E M S QUESTION ’ T ELLIN WHAT T HE BABY L ID H US BAND AND H EATHEN T HE R ATTLE OF THE D OLLAR T HE L AND OF NE VE R WAS A PROSPEROUS COUPLE H E CAME T o STAY SEBASTIAN MOREY ’ S POEM T HE SHAPE OF THE SKULL T HEY SLANT IN THAT DIRECTION T H E H EAD AND THE H EART T HE T ARIFF FIE ND ’ T HE PRINCE S BOW AND A RROWS DROP YOUR BUCKET WHERE YOU A R E T ' TA B LE OF COA T E YVT S . MATILDA ’ S AND NATURE ’ S SPRING CLEANING T HE MAN WHO BRINGS U P THE R EAR WHEN THE L EAVES T URN R E D U NCLE SET H ON THE CZ AR T HEN A GIN T HE VOICE NO SHOW T HE G L A B B E R GA ST IKONIA K SWEETS FOR THE SWEET No BEGGARS OR PEDLERS A LLOWED PO EMS BY SPECIALISTS T HINGS THAT DIDN ’ T O CCUR A N E CONOM ICAL MAN ’ SHAKESPEARE S G HOST T o IGNATIUS DONNELLY H OT WEATHER PHILOSOPHY L INES A G LANCE BEHIND AND A HEAD T WO SONGS T WO PRAYERS T HE BABY KING OF SPAIN WHEN SHAKESPEARE SLINGS H IMSELF T HE R EADY MADE MAN WALT WHITMAN A T RAGIC E ND T HE G R ASSVAL E R AILROAD T HE COSMIC POEM LIST OF IL US RA I L T T ONS. P A G E PORTRAIT OF A UTHOR T H E V OLUNTEER ORGANIST T HE MILKING OF T HE COW T H E CARVEN NAM E ’ T H E A UCTIONEER S G IFT T H E MEN WHO MISS THE T RAIN ” TTU L L O ! T H E U NPARDONABLE SIN T H E CALF ON THE L AWN No SHOW T WO PRAYERS WALT WHITMAN . BAC K C O UNTRY P O EMS . TH E VOL UJVT E E R OR GA N I S Z ’ H E gret big C hurch wu z crowde d full u v broadcloth a n u v S ilk , ’ ’ ’ An satins rich a s cream thet grows on our 0 1 brindle s milk ’ l - Shined boots , bi ed shirts , stiff dickeys , an stove pipe hats were there , ’ ’ ’ An d o o d s ith t r o u se r l o o n s so tight they couldn kneel in prayer . his o o l it The elder in p p high , said , as he slowly riz ’ ’ O u r r o o m a ti z organist is kep to hum , laid up ith , ’ ’ a s we h e V su b sti to o t An no , as brothe r Moore ain t he re , ’ ’ Will some u n in the c o n ge r ga ti o n be so kind s to vol u nteer ? ’ a - - An then red nosed , drunken tramp , of low toned , rowdy style , ’ ’ G i n t e r d u c t r ive an y hiccup , an then stagge re d up the aisle ; ’ ’ T n c r e s i n he thro the holy atmosphere there p a sense e r , ’ ’ ’ An thro thet air e r sanctity the odor u v o l gin . I VOL T E O A I S T 4 THE UN E R R G N . ’ T n D a ll he eacon Purin ton he yelled , his tee th sot o n edge ’ T i s u r fa n e s G o d I W sa k e r l e e I h man p the house e r y, this is g ’ ’ The tramp didn hear a word he said , but slouched ith ’ stumblin feet , ’ ’ ’ An sprawled an staggered up the steps , an gained the organ seat . ’ ’ ’ H a e wr i n . then went p thro the keys , an soon there riz a strain T t l ec tr if he se e med to j est bulge out the heart , an y the brai n ; An ’ then he slappe d down on th e thing ’ ith hands an ’ head ’ an knees , e - hi h l fl H slam d ashe d s u l body down k e r o p upon the keys . ’ ’ swe e i n The organ roared the music flood went p high an dry, ’ l t sk swelled into the rafte rs , an bulged out into the y, ’ ’ ’ ’ 0 1 S The church hook an staggered , an see med to ree l an sway , ’ ” ’ An the e l d e r shoute d G lory I an I yelled out Hooray I ’ Ou r An then he trie d a tender strain thet melte d in ears , T he t brought up blessed me mories an ’ drenche d ’ em down ’ ith tears ; ’ ’ ’ We u v o l i T a bb An dreamed t me kitchens , ith y o n the mat , ’ ’ ’ ’ U V I home an luv an baby days , an mother, an all that ’ — An then he struck a streak u v hope a song fro m souls forgiven ’ T t - a u v si n u v he burst from prison b rs , an stormed th e gates heave n , ’ m o r n i n - The stars they sung togethe r, no soul wuz le ft alone , ’ We G o d I felt th e universe wuz safe , an wuz on his throne VOL U/VT E E R OA’ GA AU S THE T.