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Monday, February 4, 2008

jacob barr composition book

Here's another extract from Jacob Barr's (Louis Bromfield's Great Grandfather) composition book. I'm not sure of the date, but pre-Civl War and by this poem and other clues, he was in school and in District 5.


[Composition Day]

Today again if it don’t rain

Is composition day

And I appear as usual here

With something too to say

In olden time the god of rhyme

Was wont to aid the poet

But I don’t claim a poets fame

I’m crazy and I know it

I’ve touched the lyre to please desire

But could not raise a --------

The old concern I mean to burn

And go it all alone

So one and all both great and small

I say prepare for rhyme

Im bound to write although my might

May not give aught sublime

Old Sheakspere once was but a dunce

And learned his abc

And others too but little knew

When they were brats like me

The cabbage plant though small and scant

When young if planted out

Will often grow enough you know

To make a tub of crout

Old number five is just alive

With cabbage plants like me

We’ll thrive I spose but no one know

How large we’ll get to be.

There’s Prude and Cele & Poll & Cal

Armand Liz and Dave

And John and Garn who cannot learn

They’ve tried alas in vain

But mark you I am aiming high

My name a stir creates

I’ll be tis meant next president

Of these united states.

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