Living

Somep'n Common-Like

by James Whitcomb Riley 1849–1916

From The Old Soldier's Story (1915)

Living

Somep'n 'at's common-like, and good
And plain, and easy understood;
Somep'n 'at folks like me and you
Kin understand, and relish, too,
And find some sermint in 'at hits
The spot, and sticks and benefits.

We don't need nothin' extry fine;
'Cause, take the run o' minds like mine,
And we'll go more on good horse-sense
Than all your flowery eloquence;
And we'll jedge best of honest acts
By Nature's statement of the facts.

So when you're wantin' to express
Your misery, er happiness,
Er anything 'at's wuth the time
O' telling in plain talk er rhyme--
Jes' sort o' let your subject run
As ef the Lord wuz listenun.

MLA

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Somep'n Common-Like.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/432/.

Chicago

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Somep'n Common-Like.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/432/.

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