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…

My life’s blossom might have bloom… Save for a bitter wind which stunt… On the side of me which you in the… From the dust I lift a voice of p… My flowering side you never saw!

I preached four thousand sermons, I conducted forty revivals, And baptized many converts. Yet no deed of mine Shines brighter in the memory of t…

They brought me ambrotypes Of the old pioneers to enlarge. And sometimes one sat for me— Some one who was in being When giant hands from the womb of…

I, born in Weimar Of a mother who was French And German father, a most learned… Orphaned at fourteen years, Became a dancer, known as Russian…

I tried to win the nomination For president of the County-board And I made speeches all over the… Denouncing Solomon Purple, my riv… As an enemy of the people,

Silent before the jury, Returning no word to the judge whe… If I had aught to say against the… Only shaking my head. What could I say to people who th…

Observe the clasped hands! Are they hands of farewell or gree… Hands that I helped or hands that… Would it not be well to carve a ha… With an inverted thumb, like Elag…

I lost my patronage in Spoon Rive… From trying to put my mind in the… To catch the soul of the person. The very best picture I ever took Was of Judge Somers, attorney at…

The very fall my sister Nancy Kna… Set fire to the house They were trying Dr. Duval For the murder of Zora Clemens, And I sat in the court two weeks

I was the laughing-stock of the vi… Chiefly of the people of good sens… Also of the learned, like Rev. Pe… The same as English. For instead of talking free trade,

I was not beloved of the villagers… But all because I spoke my mind, And met those who transgressed aga… With plain remonstrance, hiding no… Nor secret griefs nor grudges.

You never marveled, dullards of S… When Chase Henry voted against th… To revenge himself for being shut… But none of you was keen enough To follow my steps, or trace me ho…

Where is my boy, my boy— In what far part of the world? The boy I loved best of all in th… I, the teacher, the old maid, the… Who made them all my children.

I was Willie Metcalf. They used to call me “Doctor Meye… Because, they said, I looked like… And he was my father, according to… I lived in the livery stable,