I inherited forty acres from my F… And, by working my wife, my two so… From dawn to dusk, I acquired A thousand acres. But not content… Wishing to own two thousand acres,

Passer-by, To love is to find your own soul Through the soul of the beloved on… When the beloved one withdraws its… Then you have lost your soul.

When I first came to Spoon River I did not know whether what they t… Was true or false. They would bring me an epitaph And stand around the shop while I…

As to democracy, fellow citizens, Are you not prepared to admit That I, who inherited riches and… Was second to none in Spoon River In my devotion to the cause of Li…

He ran away and was gone for a yea… When he came home he told me the s… Of being kidnapped by pirates on… And kept in chains so he could not… I pretended to believe it, though…

Why was I not devoured by self-co… And rotted down by indifference And impotent revolt like Indignat… Why, with all of my errant steps Did I miss the fate of Willard F…

This weeping willow! Why do you not plant a few For the millions of children not y… As well as for us? Are they not non-existent, or cell…

I, the scourge-wielder, balance-wr… Smiter with whips and swords; I, hater of the breakers of the la… I, legalist, inexorable and bitter… Driving the jury to hang the madma…

Not “a youth with hoary head and h… But an old man with a smooth skin And black hair! I had the face of a boy as long as… And for years a soul that was stif…

Passer-by, sin beyond any sin Is the sin of blindness of souls t… And joy beyond any joy is the joy Of having the good in you seen, an… At the miraculous moment!

From Bindle’s opera house in the… To Broadway is a great step. But I tried to take it, my ambiti… When sixteen years of age, Seeing “East Lynne” played here i…

What but the love of God could ha… And made forgiving the people of… Toward me who wronged the bed of… And murdered him beside? Oh, loving hearts that took me in…

In my Spanish cloak, And old slouch hat, And overshoes of felt, And Tyke, my faithful dog, And my knotted hickory cane,

I was only eight years old; And before I grew up and knew wha… I had no words for it, except That I was frightened and told my… And that my Father got a pistol