Nature Sonnets (By the Village Poet)

Ma’s got a parrot which her brother brought

     From sea. Pa never liked it very well

     On account of the giver, I heard tell,

And what he’s said about it really ought

To be left out of people’s speech or thought.

     Pa never swears, the parrot does, an’ pa

     Gits mad as he kin be an’ says to ma

He’ll wring the dog-gone parrot’s neck off shot.

One day he shook his fist at Poll an’ she

     Jest took a piece of skin right off his hand.

Pa jawed, an’ said some cuss words, two or three,

     An’ Poll jest danced an’ laffed to beat the band.

I said to ma she ought to have a care

Else Poll would be a-teachin’ pa to swear.

Dec. 8, 1912