Nothin' to say, my daughter! Nothin' at all to say! <br />Gyrls that's in love, I've noticed, ginerly has their way! <br />Yer mother did, afore you, when her folks objected to me-- <br />Yit here I am, and here you air; and yer mother--where is she? <br /> <br />You look lots like yer mother: Purty much same in size; <br />And about the same complected; and favor about the eyes: <br />Like her, too, about _livin_' here,--because _she_ couldn't stay: <br />It'll 'most seem like you was dead--like her!--But I hain't got nothin' to say! <br /> <br />She left you her little Bible--writ yer name acrost the page-- <br />And left her ear bobs fer you, ef ever you come of age. <br />I've allus kep' 'em and gyuarded 'em, but ef yer goin' away-- <br />Nothin' to say, my daughter! Nothin' at all to say! <br /> <br />You don't rikollect her, I reckon? No; you wasn't a year old then! <br />And now yer--how old _air_ you? W'y, child, not '_twenty_!' When? <br />And yer nex' birthday's in Aprile? and you want to git married that day? <br />... I wisht yer mother was livin'!--But--I hain't got nothin' to say! <br /> <br />Twenty year! and as good a gyrl as parent ever found! <br />There's a straw ketched onto yer dress there--I'll bresh it off--turn round. <br />(Her mother was jes' twenty when us two run away!) <br />Nothin' to say, my daughter! Nothin' at all to say!<br /><br />James Whitcomb Riley<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/nothin-to-say/
