Classic Poem

Seiler's Pawnd? Seiler's Pawnd?
The very name is clean forgot.
When I ast about it, he yawned,
'N' said he never seen the spot;
Guessed it must be out beyond!
Why, ding it! part of it's his old lot!

Many 'n' many a jolly day
I use-to spend along its banks;
Fishun' mebbe, or at play
Riggun' water-wheels 'n' cranks,
Chasun' ducks, or mixun' clay,
Throwun' mud-balls, 'n' such pranks.

There's the school-house standun' yet
Jest acrost the Avenoo,
Where us felluhs use-to set,
'N' wish for reecess, I tell you!
High ol' times we had, you bet,
Out by the Pawnd when school was through.

Best fun was when it was froze,
When us boys played Crack-the-Whip.
Chug! chug! chug! 'n' roun' she goes!
Turn her sharp 'n' let 'em zip,
Bumpun' heads 'n' tearun' clo'es,
'Crost the Pawnd at a single clip.

Right there where that Turn Hall stands,
Three 'r four girls broke through one spring;
Ice was rotten. We joined hands
'N' tried to snake 'em out: first thing
We knew we were soakun! — Lands!
Cold's no word; 'twas just free- zing!

Drownded? — No, siree; not quite.
But we teased one girl so bad,
'Cause she grabbed holt Adams White,
I guess she almost wisht she had.
'N' he licked ten by Friday night
For howlun': " O-o-o-h! don't leave me, Ad! "

I declare, I c'n fairly hear
Them same boys, 'n' see 'em run;
'N' Seiler's Pawnd comes back as clear,
Sparklun' in the April sun,
Swashun' between the hills! — O dear!
Them hills are gone now, every one.

'N' Seiler's Pawnd's filled up at last.
Well, p'rhaps it looks better so;
All this ward was growun' fast,
'N' didn't have much room to grow.
No use moanun' about the past;
Business is business; things must go.

'N' it isn't only the pawnds; it's men;
We, too, are hidden with rubbish, I'm 'fraid.
Old notions 'n idees smoothed down, 'n' then
The heart filled up to C'missioner's grade.
But I wisht I was a boy again,
'N', somehow, Seiler's Pawnd had stayed.