Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IX. Tragedy: Humor. 1904. | | | | Humorous Poems: II. Miscellaneous | | He ’d Had No Show | | Sam Walter Foss (1858–1911) |
| | | JOE BEALL ’ud set upon a keg | |
| Down to the groc’ry store, an’ throw | |
| One leg right over t’other leg | |
| An’ swear he ’d never had no show. | |
| “O, no,” said Joe, | 5 |
| “Hain’t hed no show,” | |
| Then shift his quid to t’other jaw, | |
| An’ chaw, an’ chaw, an’ chaw, an’ chaw. | |
| |
| He said he got no start in life, | |
| Didn’t get no money from his dad, | 10 |
| The washin’ took in by his wife | |
| Earned all the funds he ever had. | |
| “O, no,” said Joe, | |
| “Hain’t hed no show,” | |
| An’ then he ’d look up at the clock | 15 |
| An’ talk, an’ talk, an’ talk, an’ talk. | |
| |
| “I ’ve waited twenty year—let ’s see— | |
| Yes, twenty-four, an’ never struck, | |
| Altho, I ’ve sot roun’ patiently, | |
| The fust tarnation streak er luck. | 20 |
| O, no,” said Joe, | |
| “Hain’t hed no show,” | |
| Then stuck like mucilage to the spot, | |
| An’ sot, an’ sot, an’ sot, an’ sot. | |
| |
| “I ’ve come down regerlar every day | 25 |
| For twenty years to Piper’s store. | |
| I ’ve sot here in a patient way, | |
| Say, hain’t I, Piper?” Piper swore. | |
| “I tell ye, Joe, | |
| Yer hain’t no show; | 30 |
| Yer too dern patient”—ther hull raft | |
| Jest laffed, an’ laffed, an’ laffed, an’ laffed. | | | | |
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