Words We Uster Use

Them biggest poets allus preach

     Good common sense enough;

But ‘tallus seems beyend the reach

     Uv us uv common stuff.

They teach good truths an’ all uv thet,

     But in sech language, whew!

It makes a feller fairly sweat

     Afore he gits ha’f through.

Sech words as sylvan, balmy, sere.

     An’ rhymic, arid, monotone;

Resplendent, fleeting, ope, austere,

     Imbued, decade, becalm, enthrone,

They may be nice an’ rightly writ,

     An’ full uv poetree

But words like jummer,* bust an’ grit

     Work in the best fur me.

The humbly words we uster use

     Beat this new-fangled kind;

They fit a feller like ol’ shoes,

     An’ keep corns off the mind.

    

May 3^rd, ‘92

(*not sure)