| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 801. Crossing the Plains |
| | | By Joaquin Miller |
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| WHAT great yoked brutes with briskets low, | |
| With wrinkled necks like buffalo, | |
| With round, brown, liquid, pleading eyes, | |
| That turned so slow and sad to you, | |
| That shone like love’s eyes soft with tears, | 5 |
| That seemed to plead, and make replies, | |
| The while they bowed their necks and drew | |
| The creaking load; and looked at you. | |
| Their sable briskets swept the ground, | |
| Their cloven feet kept solemn sound. | 10 |
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| Two sullen bullocks led the line, | |
| Their great eyes shining bright like wine; | |
| Two sullen captive kings were they, | |
| That had in time held herds at bay, | |
| And even now they crushed the sod | 15 |
| With stolid sense of majesty, | |
| And stately stepped and stately trod, | |
| As if ’t were something still to be | |
| Kings even in captivity. | |
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