
NEGHBORLY POEMS AND DIALECT SKETCHES
PREFACE
SALUTATION TO BENJ. F. JOHNSON THE OLD MAN
"THE OLD SWIMMIN'-HOLE" AND 'LEVEN MORE POEMS BY BENJ. F. JOHNSON, OF BOONE
THE OLD SWIMMIN'-HOLE
THOUGHTS FER THE DISCURAGED FARMER
A SUMMER'S DAY
A HYMB OF FAITH
WORTERMELON TIME
MY PHILOSOFY
A warm‑hearted portrait of Midwestern life unfolds in this lively collection of poems and sketches, written in the homespun dialect of the Hoosier countryside. The verses capture everyday moments—children’s games, humble labor, and the simple joys that echo through fields and porches—while the accompanying sketches give listeners a vivid sense of the people and places that inspired them. The poet’s affection for his community shines through, making each piece feel like a friendly chat with a neighbor who knows how to turn ordinary scenes into memorable verse.
The book also offers a glimpse into the creative spirit of a self‑taught writer, whose candid reflections on learning, love, and loss are rendered with humor and humility. Listeners will enjoy the rhythm of the language, the occasional slip of spelling that adds charm, and the sincere emotion that underlies every line. It’s an invitation to hear the music of a bygone rural America, still resonant with the universal pulse of ordinary lives.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (186K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Diane Monico, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2011-08-14
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1849–1916
Best known as the "Hoosier Poet," he turned the speech, humor, and homespun memories of Indiana into verses that readers across America loved. His poems for children and families, including "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man," helped make him one of the country's most popular poets of his time.
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