Lawzy! don't I rickollect <br />That-'air old swing in the lane! <br />Right and proper, I expect, <br />Old times _can't_ come back again; <br />But I want to state, ef they <br />_Could_ come back, and I could say <br />What _my_ pick 'ud be, i jing! <br />I'd say, Gimme the old swing <br />'Nunder the old locus'-trees <br />On the old place, ef you please!-- <br />Danglin' there with half-shet eye, <br />Waitin' fer the cat to die! <br /> <br />I'd say, Gimme the old gang <br />Of barefooted, hungry, lean, <br />Ornry boys you want to hang <br />When you're growed up twic't as mean! <br />The old gyarden-patch, the old <br />Truants, and the stuff we stol'd! <br />The old stompin'-groun', where we <br />Wore the grass off, wild and free <br />As the swoop of the old swing, <br />Where we ust to climb and cling, <br />And twist roun', and fight, and lie-- <br />Waitin' fer the cat to die! <br /> <br />'Pears like I 'most allus could <br />Swing the highest of the crowd-- <br />Jes sail up there tel I stood <br />Downside-up, and screech out loud,-- <br />Ketch my breath, and jes drap back <br />Fer to let the old swing slack, <br />Yit my tow-head dippin' still <br />In the green boughs, and the chill <br />Up my backbone taperin' down, <br />With my shadder on the ground' <br />Slow and slower trailin' by-- <br />Waitin' fer the cat to die! <br /> <br />Now my daughter's little Jane's <br />Got a kind o' baby-swing <br />On the porch, so's when it rains <br />She kin play there--little thing! <br />And I'd limped out t'other day <br />With my old cheer this-a-way, <br />Swingin' _her_ and rockin' too, <br />Thinkin' how _I_ ust to do <br />At _her_ age, when suddently, <br />'Hey, Gran'pap!' she says to me, <br />'Why you rock so slow?' ... Says I, <br />'Waitin' fer the cat to die!'<br /><br />James Whitcomb Riley<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/waitin-fer-the-cat-to-die/
