If　your　ways　would　be　ways　of　pleasantness；
  And　all　your　pathways　peace；
  Love　God　and　keep　his　commandments。
  Knowlt　Hoheimer
  I　WAS　the　first　fruits　of　the　battle　of　Missionary　Ridge。
  When　I　felt　the　bullet　enter　my　heart
  I　wished　I　had　staid　at　home　and　gone　to　jail
  For　stealing　the　hogs　of　Curl　Trenary；
  Instead　of　running　away　and　joining　the　army。
  Rather　a　thousand　times　the　county　jail
  Than　to　lie　under　this　marble　figure　with　wings；
  And　this　granite　pedestal　Bearing　the　words；　〃Pro　Patria。〃
  What　do　they　mean；　anyway？
  Lydia　Puckett
  KNOWLT　HOHEIMER　ran　away　to　the　war
  The　day　before　Curl　Trenary
  Swore　out　a　warrant　through　Justice　Arnett
  For　stealing　hogs。
  But　that's　not　the　reason　he　turned　a　soldier。
  He　caught　me　running　with　Lucius　Atherton。
  We　quarreled　and　I　told　him　never　again
  To　cross　my　path。
  Then　he　stole　the　hogs　and　went　to　the　war
  Back　of　every　soldier　is　a　woman。
  Frank　Drummer
  OUT　of　a　cell　into　this　darkened　space
  The　end　at　twenty…five！
  My　tongue　could　not　speak　what　stirred　within　me；
  And　the　village　thought　me　a　fool。
  Yet　at　the　start　there　was　a　clear　vision；
  A　high　and　urgent　purpose　in　my　soul
  Which　drove　me　on　trying　to　memorize
  The　Encyclopedia　Britannica！
  Hare　Drummer
  Do　the　boys　and　girls　still　go　to　Siever's
  For　cider；　after　school；　in　late　September？
  Or　gather　hazel　nuts　among　the　thickets
  On　Aaron　Hatfield's　farm　when　the　frosts　begin？
  For　many　times　with　the　laughing　girls　and　boys
  Played　I　along　the　road　and　over　the　hills
  When　the　sun　was　low　and　the　air　was　cool；
  Stopping　to　club　the　walnut　tree
  Standing　leafless　against　a　flaming　west。
  Now；　the　smell　of　the　autumn　smoke；
  And　the　dropping　acorns；
  And　the　echoes　about　the　vales
  Bring　dreams　of　life。
  They　hover　over　me。
  They　question　me：
  Where　are　those　laughing　comrades？
  How　many　are　with　me；　how　many
  In　the　old　orchards　along　the　way　to　Siever's；
  And　in　the　woods　that　overlook
  The　quiet　water？
  Doc　Hill
  I　WENT　UP　and　down　the　streets
  Here　and　there　by　day　and　night；
  Through　all　hours　of　the　night　caring　for　the　poor　who　were　sick。
  Do　you　know　why？
  My　wife　hated　me；　my　son　went　to　the　dogs。
  And　I　turned　to　the　people　and　poured　out　my　love　to　them。
  Sweet　it　was　to　see　the　crowds　about　the　lawns　on　the　day　of　my
  funeral；
  And　hear　them　murmur　their　love　and　sorrow。
  But　oh；　dear　God；　my　soul　trembled；　scarcely　able
  To　hold　to　the　railing　of　the　new　life
  When　I　saw　Em　Stanton　behind　the　oak　tree
  At　the　grave；
  Hiding　herself；　and　her　grief！
  Sarah　Brown
  MAURICE；　weep　not；　I　am　not　here　under　this　pine　tree。
  The　balmy　air　of　spring　whispers　through　the　sweet　grass；
  The　stars　sparkle；　the　whippoorwill　calls；
  But　thou　grievest；　while　my　soul　lies　rapturous
  In　the　blest　Nirvana　of　eternal　light！
  Go　to　the　good　heart　that　is　my　husband
  Who　broods　upon　what　he　calls　our　guilty　love：
  Tell　him　that　my　love　for　you；　no　less　than　my　love　for　him
  Wrought　out　my　destiny　that　through　the　flesh
  I　won　spirit；　and　through　spirit；　peace。
  There　is　no　marriage　in　heaven
  But　there　is　love。
  Percy　Bysshe　Shelley
  MY　father　who　owned　the　wagon…shop
  And　grew　rich　shoeing　horses
  Sent　me　to　the　University　of　Montreal。
  I　learned　nothing　and　returned　home；
  Roaming　the　fields　with　Bert　Kessler；
  Hunting　quail　and　snipe。
  At　Thompson's　Lake　the　trigger　of　my　gun
  Caught　in　the　side　of　the　boat
  And　a　great　hole　was　shot　through　my　heart。
  Over　me　a　fond　father　erected　this　marble　shaft；
  On　which　stands　the　figure　of　a　woman
  Carved　by　an　Italian　artist。
  They　say　the　ashes　of　my　namesake
  Were　scattered　near　the　pyramid　of　Caius　Cestius
  Somewhere　near　Rome。
  Flossie　Cabanis
  FROM　Bindle's　opera　house　in　the　village
  To　Broadway　is　a　great　step。
  But　I　tried　to　take　it；　my　ambition　fired
  When　sixteen　years　of　age；
  Seeing　〃East　Lynne；〃　played　here　in　the　village
  By　Ralph　Barrett；　the　coming
  Romantic　actor；　who　enthralled　my　soul。
  True；　I　trailed　back　home；　a　broken　failure；
  When　Ralph　disappeared　in　New　York；
  Leaving　me　alone　in　the　city
  But　life　broke　him　also。
  In　all　this　place　of　silence
  There　are　no　kindred　spirits。
  How　I　wish　Duse　could　stand　amid　the　pathos
  Of　these　quiet　fields
  And　read　these　words。
  Julia　Miller
  WE　quarreled　that　morning；
  For　he　was　sixtyfive；　and　I　was　thirty；
  And　I　was　nervous　and　heavy　with　the　child
  Whose　birth　I　dreaded。
  I　thought　over　the　last　letter　written　me
  By　that　estranged　young　soul
  Whose　betrayal　of　me　I　had　concealed
  By　marrying　the　old　man。
  Then　I　took　morphine　and　sat　down　to　read。
  Across　the　blackness　that　came　over　my　eyes
  I　see　the　flickering　light　of　these　words　even　now：
  〃And　Jesus　said　unto　him；　Verily
  I　say　unto　thee；　To…day　thou　shalt
  Be　with　me　in　paradise。〃
  Johnnie　Sayre
  FATHER；　thou　canst　never　know
  The　anguish　that　smote　my　heart
  For　my　disobedience；　the　moment　I　felt
  The　remorseless　wheel　of　the　engine
  Sink　into　the　crying　flesh　of　my　leg。
  As　they　carried　me　to　the　home　of　widow　Morris
  I　could　see　the　school…house　in　the　valley
  To　which　I　played　truant　to　steal　rides　upon　the　trains。
  I　prayed　to　live　until　I　could　ask　your　forgiveness
  And　then　your　tears；　your　broken　words　of　comfort！
  From　the　solace　of　that　hour　I　have　gained　infinite　happiness。
  Thou　wert　wise　to　chisel　for　me：
  〃Taken　from　the　evil　to　come。〃
  Charlie　French
  DID　YOU　ever　find　out
  Which　one　of　the　O'Brien　boys　it　was
  Who　snapped　the　toy　pistol　against　my　hand？
  There　when　the　flags　were　red　and　white
  In　the　breeze　and　〃Bucky〃　Estil
  Was　firing　the　cannon　brought　to　Spoon　River
  From　Vicksburg　by　Captain　Harris；
  And　the　lemonade　stands　were　running
  And　the　band　was　playing；
  To　have　it　all　spoiled
  By　a　piece　of　a　cap　shot　under　the　skin　of　my　hand；
  And　the　boys　all　crowding　about　me　saying：
  〃You'll　die　of　lock…jaw；　Charlie；　sure。〃
  Oh；　dear！　oh；　dear！
  What　chum　of　mine　could　have　done　it？
  Zenas　Witt
  I　WAS　sixteen；　and　I　had　the　most　terrible　dreams；
  And　specks　before　my　eyes；　and　nervous　weakness。
  And　I　couldn't　remember　the　books　I　read；
  Like　Frank　Drummer　who　memorized　page　after　page。
  And　my　back　was　weak；　and　I　worried　and　worried；
  And　I　was　embarrassed　and　stammered　my　lessons；
  And　when　I　stood　up　to　recite　I'd　forget
  Everything　that　I　had　studied。
  Well；　I　saw　Dr。　Weese's　advertisement；
  And　there　I　read　everything　in　print；
  Just　as　if　he　had　known　me；
  And　about　the　dreams　which　I　couldn't　help。
  So　I　knew　I　was　marked　for　an　early　grave。
  And　I　worried　until　I　had　a　cough
  And　then　the　dreams　stopped。
  And　then　I　slept　the　sleep　without　dreams
  Here　on　the　hill　by　the　river。
  Theodore　the　Poet
  As　a　boy；　Theodore；　you　sat　for　long　hours
  On　the　shore　of　the　turbid　Spoon
  With　deep…set　eye　staring　at　the　door　of　the　crawfish's　burrow；
  Waiting　for　him　to　appear；　pushing　ahead；
  First　his　waving　antennae；　like　straws　of　hay；
  And　soon　his　body；　colored　like　soap…stone；
  Gemmed　with　eyes　of　jet。
  And　you　wondered　in　a　trance　of　thought
  What　he　knew；　what　he　desired；　and　why　he　lived　at　all。
  But　later　your　vision　watched　for　men　and　women
  Hiding　in　burrows　of　fate　amid　great　cities；
  Looking　for　the　souls　of　them　to　come　out；
  So　that　you　could　see
  How　they　lived；　and　for　what；
  And　why　they　kept　crawling　so　busily
  Along　the　sandy　way　where　water　fails
  As　the　summer　wanes。
  The　Town　Marshal
  THE：　Prohibitionists　made　me　Town　Marshal
  When　the　saloons　were　voted　out；
  Because　when　I　was　a　drinking　man；
  Before　I　joined　the　church；　I　killed　a　Swede
  At　the　saw…mill　near　Maple　Grove。
  And　they　wanted　a　terrible　man；
  Grim；　righteous；　strong；　courageous；
  And　a　hater　of　saloons　and　drinkers；
  To　keep　law　and　order　in　the　village。
  And　they　presented　me　with　a　loaded　cane
  With　which　I　struck　Jack　McGuire
  Before　he　drew　the　gun　with　which　he　killed
  The　Prohibitionists　spent　their　money　in　vain
  To　hang　him；　for　in　a　dream
  I　appeared　to　one　of　the　twelve　jurymen
  And　told　him　the　whole　secret　story。
  Fourteen　years　were　enough　for　killing　me。
  Jack　McGuire
  THEY　would　have　lynched　me
  Had　I　not　been　secretly　hurried　away
  To　the　jail　at　Peoria。
  And　yet　I　was　going　peacefully　home；
  Carrying　my　jug；　a　little　drunk；
  When　Logan；　the　marshal；　halted　me
  Called　me　a　drunken　hound　and　shook　me
  And；　when　I　cursed　him　for　it；　struck　me
  With　that　Prohibition　loaded　cane
  All　this　before　I　shot　him。
  They　would　have　hanged　me　except　for　this：
  My　lawyer；　Kinsey　Keene；　was　helping　to　land
  Old　Thomas　Rhodes　for　wrecking　the　bank；
  And　the　judge　was　a　friend　of
  Rhodes　And　wanted　him　to　escape；
  And　Kinsey　offered　to　quit　on
  Rhodes　For　fourteen　years　for　me。
  And　the　bargain　was　made。
  I　served　my　time
  And　learned　to　read　and　write。
  Jacob　Goodpasture
  WHEN　Fort　Sumter　fell　and　the　war　came
  I　cried　out　in　bitterness　of　soul：
  〃O　glorious　republic　now　no　more！〃
  When　they　buried　my　soldier　son
  To　the　call　of　trumpets　and　the　sound　of　drums
  My　heart　broke　beneath　the　weight
  Of　eighty　years；　and　I　cried：
  〃Oh；　son　who　died　in　a　cause　unjust！
  In　the　strife　of　Freedom　slain！〃
  And　I　crept　here　under　the　grass。
  And　now　from　the　battlements　of　time；　behold：
  Thrice　thirty　million　souls　being　bound　together
  In　the　love　of　larger　truth；
  Rapt　in　the　expectation　of　the