Yee Bow

Yee Bow

Original Text
Edgar Lee Masters, Spoon River Anthology, illustrated by Oliver Herford (London: T. Werner Laurie, [1916]): 101. 8-NBI Masters New York Public Library
2In Spoon River
4I could have been no worse off
5If I had tried to get them to drop Jesus for Confucius.
6For, without any warning, as if it were a prank,
7And sneaking up behind me, Harry Wiley,
8The minister's son, caved my ribs into my lungs,
9With a blow of his fist.
11And no children shall worship at my grave.

Notes

1] Yee Bow: an laundry-man in Lewistown, according to Edgar Lee Masters' Across Spoon River: An Autobiography (New York: Farrar and Rinehart, 1936): 138. Back to Line
3] Confucius: religious philosopher and moralist of China (551-479 B.C.). Back to Line
10] Pekin: Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1915
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2003
Rhyme