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Poem
November 9, 1870
Clarke Courier
Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia
What is this article about?
Humorous satirical poem dedicated to farmers and others, warning against card betting, and vividly describing a torrential flood in the Shenandoah that sweeps away grain, animals, and people, leaving desolation.
Clipping
OCR Quality
88%
Good
Full Text
[FOR THE COURIER.]
LINES.
Ye husbandmen whose debts are due,
I dedicate these lines to you:
And men and women, one and all,
On you I make a morning call;
And you who cultivate poor land,
I offer you my heart and hand;
And butchers, bachelors and bards
For God's sake do not bet at cards:
And to you, my literary friend,
My love and kind regards I send.
Returning to your house again
I heard a heavy fall of rain;
And as the rain in torrents fell
The Shenandoah began to swell:
And being under insured
It robbed the miller of his toll
And bounding over wood and plain
It swept away the farmer's grain;
And horses followed in its tail.
And tortoises with goods for sale,
And raccoons riding on a rail:
And dairy maids, with milk and cream,
Went down in this tremendous stream.
Astonished at this fearful flood,
I moved away from where I stood.
And left your homesteads in the rear,
With death and desolation near;
And reached my home in sorry plight,
And lay awake the live-long night.
ARASTUS.
LINES.
Ye husbandmen whose debts are due,
I dedicate these lines to you:
And men and women, one and all,
On you I make a morning call;
And you who cultivate poor land,
I offer you my heart and hand;
And butchers, bachelors and bards
For God's sake do not bet at cards:
And to you, my literary friend,
My love and kind regards I send.
Returning to your house again
I heard a heavy fall of rain;
And as the rain in torrents fell
The Shenandoah began to swell:
And being under insured
It robbed the miller of his toll
And bounding over wood and plain
It swept away the farmer's grain;
And horses followed in its tail.
And tortoises with goods for sale,
And raccoons riding on a rail:
And dairy maids, with milk and cream,
Went down in this tremendous stream.
Astonished at this fearful flood,
I moved away from where I stood.
And left your homesteads in the rear,
With death and desolation near;
And reached my home in sorry plight,
And lay awake the live-long night.
ARASTUS.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Ballad
What themes does it cover?
Satire Society
Nature Seasons
What keywords are associated?
Shenandoah Flood
Farmers Debts
Gambling Warning
Humorous Disaster
Rural Destruction
What entities or persons were involved?
Arastus.
Poem Details
Title
Lines.
Author
Arastus.
Subject
On A Flood In The Shenandoah
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
Ye Husbandmen Whose Debts Are Due,
I Dedicate These Lines To You:
And Butchers, Bachelors And Bards
For God's Sake Do Not Bet At Cards:
And Tortoises With Goods For Sale,
And Raccoons Riding On A Rail: