James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)
When the Frost is on the Punkin
1When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
2And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
3And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
4And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
5O, it's then's the times a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
6With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
7As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
8When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
9They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
10When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here --
11Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees,
12And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
13But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
14Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
15Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock --
16When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
17The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
18And the raspin' of the tangled leaves, as golden as the morn;
19The stubble in the furries -- kindo' lonesome-like, but still
20A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
21The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
22The hosses in theyr stalls below -- the clover over-head! --
23O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
24When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!
25Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
26Is poured around the celler-floor in red and yeller heaps;
27And your cider-makin' 's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
28With their mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and saussage, too! ...
29I don't know how to tell it -- but ef sich a thing could be
30As the Angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me --
31I'd want to 'commodate 'em -- all the whole-indurin' flock --
32When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!
Notes
1] punlin: pumpkin.
shock: heap of sheaves of grain or corn piled in the field.
3] guineys: guinea fowl, birds originally from West Africa raised in farms for their meat.
4] hallylooyer: hallelujah.
5] feller: fellow.
9] kindo' harty-like: kind of hearty-like.
14] airly: early.
17] tossels: tassels.
19] furries: furrows.
21] medder: meadow.
27] wimmern-folks: women-folks.
28] mince: minced meat, for pies.
souse: pickled foods (e.g., fish).
29] ef: if.
30] boardin': the `board' from "room and board," i.e., meals (but not lodging).
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: James Whitcomb Riley, Complete Works, Memorial edn. in 10 vols. (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1916): III, 826-28. PS 2700 F16 Robarts Library.
First publication date:
5
August
1882
Publication date note: Indianapolis Journal (August 5, 1882)
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: RPO 1998.
Recent editing: 2:2002/1/16
Rhyme: aabbccdd
Other poems by James Whitcomb Riley
