The Farmer And The Turkey

A wise old turkey flew high in a tree.

“You can’t catch me,” said he, said he;

“I’ll gobble to you but you can’t gobble me,”

And he grinned a grin that all could see.

“All right,” said the farmer, “there’s two weeks yet,

Afore we will want you for a sweat;

We’ll starve you to it by then, I bet;”

And under the tree each day he set.

“Hullo up there! you tarnal ol’ scamp,

Must be your gizzard hes got a cramp.”

The weather was cold and raw and damp

And caused the poor turkey to groan and stamp.

But bravely he smiled a sickly smile,

Tho’ weaker and thinner he grew the while;

But the farmer chuck full of wrath and rile

Stuck to his purpose, in true Yankee style.

But time was up; Thanksgiving day came;

The turkey grew small but he was game;

And the farmer once noticed he wasn’t the same,

But thought that eyesight was to blame.

A sharp wind gust that he couldn’t meet

Brought down the fowl by the farmer’s seat;

But nothing was left save feathers and feet,

So the farmer collapsed when he saw he was beat.

Oct. 5, ‘91

Pub. in

Ct. Valley Adv.

  Revised for

Boston Courier

Nov. 24, ‘95

                 (revision)

A wise old turkey flew up in a tree.

“You can’t ketch me,” said he, said he;

“I’ll gobble tur yew but yew can’t gobble me,”

And he grinned a grin that all could see.

“All right,” quoth the farmer, “thar’s tew weeks yet,

Afore we will want yewr carcass het,

We’ll starve yew tew it by then, I bet,”

And under the tree each day he set.

“Hullo up thar, yew tarnal ol’ scamp,

Mus’ be yewr gizzard hez got a cramp.”

The weather was cold and raw and damp

And caused Tom Gobble to groan and stamp.

But bravely he smiled a sickly smile,

Tho’ weaker and thinner he grew the while;

But the farmer, chuck full of wrath and rile,

Hung to his promise in true Yankee style.

But time was up; Thanksgiving Day came,

Ton Gobble grew small but he was game;

And the farmer discovered he looked not the same,

But thought his poor eyesight was to blame.

A sharp wind gust that he couldn’t meet

Brought Tom down kerplunk by the farmer’s seat;

But nothing was left except feathers and feet,

And the poor farmer died when he saw he was beat.