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New childhood of the world； that blunders on
And wonders at the darkness and the dawn；
The poor damned human race； still unimpressed
With its damnation； all its gamin breast
Chorteling at dukes and kings with nigger Jim；
Then plotting for their fall； with jestings grim。
Behold a Republic
Where a river speaks to men
And cries to those that love its ways；
Answering again
When in the heart's extravagance
The rascals bend to say
〃O singing Mississippi
Shine； sing for us today。〃
But who is this in sweeping Oxford gown
Who steers the raft； or ambles up and down；
Or throws his gown aside； and there in white
Stands gleaming like a pillar of the night？
The lion of high courts； with hoary mane；
Fierce jester that this boyish court will gain
Mark Twain！
The bad world's idol：
Old Mark Twain！
He takes his turn as watchman with the rest；
With secret transports to the stars addressed；
With nightlong broodings upon cosmic law；
With daylong laughter at this world so raw。
All praise to Emerson and Whitman； yet
The best they have to say； their sons forget。
But who can dodge this genius of the stream；
The Mississippi Valley's laughing dream？
He is the artery that finds the sea
In this the land of slaves； and boys still free。
He is the river； and they one and all
Sail on his breast； and to each other call。
Come let us disgrace ourselves；
Knock the stuffed gods from their shelves；
And cinders at the schoolhouse fling。
Come let us disgrace ourselves；
And live on a raft with gray Mark Twain
And Huck and Jim
And the Duke and the King。
The Ghosts of the Buffaloes
Last night at black midnight I woke with a cry；
The windows were shaking； there was thunder on high；
The floor was a…tremble； the door was a…jar；
White fires； crimson fires； shone from afar。
I rushed to the door yard。 The city was gone。
My home was a hut without orchard or lawn。
It was mud…smear and logs near a whispering stream；
Nothing else built by man could I see in my dream 。 。 。
Then 。 。 。
Ghost…kings came headlong； row upon row；
Gods of the Indians； torches aglow。
They mounted the bear and the elk and the deer；
And eagles gigantic； aged and sere；
They rode long…horn cattle； they cried 〃A…la…la。〃
They lifted the knife； the bow； and the spear；
They lifted ghost…torches from dead fires below；
The midnight made grand with the cry 〃A…la…la。〃
The midnight made grand with a red…god charge；
A red…god show；
A red…god show；
〃A…la…la； a…la…la； a…la…la； a…la…la。〃
With bodies like bronze； and terrible eyes
Came the rank and the file； with catamount cries；
Gibbering； yipping； with hollow…skull clacks；
Riding white bronchos with skeleton backs；
Scalp…hunters； beaded and spangled and bad；
Naked and lustful and foaming and mad；
Flashing primeval demoniac scorn；
Blood…thirst and pomp amid darkness reborn；
Power and glory that sleep in the grass
While the winds and the snows and the great rains pass。
They crossed the gray river； thousands abreast；
They rode in infinite lines to the west；
Tide upon tide of strange fury and foam；
Spirits and wraiths； the blue was their home；
The sky was their goal where the star…flags are furled；
And on past those far golden splendors they whirled。
They burned to dim meteors； lost in the deep。
And I turned in dazed wonder； thinking of sleep。
And the wind crept by
Alone； unkempt； unsatisfied；
The wind cried and cried
Muttered of massacres long past；
Buffaloes in shambles vast 。 。 。
An owl said： 〃Hark； what is a…wing？〃
I heard a cricket carolling；
I heard a cricket carolling；
I heard a cricket carolling。
Then 。 。 。
Snuffing the lightning that crashed from on high
Rose royal old buffaloes； row upon row。
The lords of the prairie came galloping by。
And I cried in my heart 〃A…la…la； a…la…la；
A red…god show；
A red…god show；
A…la…la； a…la…la； a…la…la； a…la…la。〃
Buffaloes； buffaloes； thousands abreast；
A scourge and amazement； they swept to the west。
With black bobbing noses； with red rolling tongues；
Coughing forth steam from their leather…wrapped lungs；
Cows with their calves； bulls big and vain；
Goring the laggards； shaking the mane；
Stamping flint feet； flashing moon eyes；
Pompous and owlish； shaggy and wise。
Like sea…cliffs and caves resounded their ranks
With shoulders like waves； and undulant flanks。
Tide upon tide of strange fury and foam；
Spirits and wraiths； the blue was their home；
The sky was their goal where the star…flags are furled；
And on past those far golden splendors they whirled。
They burned to dim meteors； lost in the deep；
And I turned in dazed wonder； thinking of sleep。
I heard a cricket's cymbals play；
A scarecrow lightly flapped his rags；
And a pan that hung by his shoulder rang；
Rattled and thumped in a listless way；
And now the wind in the chimney sang；
The wind in the chimney；
The wind in the chimney；
The wind in the chimney；
Seemed to say：
〃Dream； boy； dream；
If you anywise can。
To dream is the work
Of beast or man。
Life is the west…going dream…storm's breath；
Life is a dream； the sigh of the skies；
The breath of the stars； that nod on their pillows
With their golden hair mussed over their eyes。〃
The locust played on his musical wing；
Sang to his mate of love's delight。
I heard the whippoorwill's soft fret。
I heard a cricket carolling；
I heard a cricket carolling；
I heard a cricket say： 〃Good…night； good…night；
Good…night； good…night； 。 。 。 good…night。〃
The Broncho that Would Not Be Broken
A little colt broncho； loaned to the farm
To be broken in time without fury or harm；
Yet black crows flew past you； shouting alarm；
Calling 〃Beware；〃 with lugubrious singing 。 。 。
The butterflies there in the bush were romancing；
The smell of the grass caught your soul in a trance；
So why be a…fearing the spurs and the traces；
O broncho that would not be broken of dancing？
You were born with the pride of the lords great and olden
Who danced； through the ages； in corridors golden。
In all the wide farm…place the person most human。
You spoke out so plainly with squealing and capering；
With whinnying； snorting； contorting and prancing；
As you dodged your pursuers； looking askance；
With Greek…footed figures； and Parthenon paces；
O broncho that would not be broken of dancing。
The grasshoppers cheered。 〃Keep whirling；〃 they said。
The insolent sparrows called from the shed
〃If men will not laugh； make them wish they were dead。〃
But arch were your thoughts； all malice displacing；
Though the horse…killers came； with snake…whips advancing。
You bantered and cantered away your last chance。
And they scourged you； with Hell in their speech and their faces；
O broncho that would not be broken of dancing。
〃Nobody cares for you；〃 rattled the crows；
As you dragged the whole reaper； next