| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917. |
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| 53. Spanish Johnny |
| | | By Willa Sibert Cather |
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| THE OLD West, the old time, | |
| The old wind singing through | |
| The red, red grass a thousand miles— | |
| And, Spanish Johnny, you! | |
| He’d sit beside the water ditch | 5 |
| When all his herd was in, | |
| And never mind a child, but sing | |
| To his mandolin. | |
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| The big stars, the blue night, | |
| The moon-enchanted lane; | 10 |
| The olive man who never spoke, | |
| But sang the songs of Spain. | |
| His speech with men was wicked talk— | |
| To hear it was a sin; | |
| But those were golden things he said | 15 |
| To his mandolin. | |
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| The gold songs, the gold stars, | |
| The word so golden then; | |
| And the hand so tender to a child— | |
| Had killed so many men. | 20 |
| He died a hard death long ago | |
| Before the Road came in— | |
| The night before he swung, he sang | |
| To his mandolin. | |
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