waltt@tekecs.UUCP (Walt Tucker) (05/29/85)
There was a poem called "Whisperin' Bill" I found while in junior high
and took an immediate liking to. I had a copy of the entire poem once,
but lost it through various residence changes. Since everyone was so
helpful with the T.S. Elliot poem "The Hollow Men", I thought someone
might be able to tell me the author of this one, since I have long since
forgot.
The poem was written shortly after the close of the civil war. The premise
is that of a census taker approaching a rural household for the 1870 census
and finding "whisperin' Bill" at the house. I remember the first two stanzas,
but would like to find the author so as to read the last 30 stanzas.
The first two stanzas go:
So you're the census taker, Mister?
There's three of us livin' still --
my wife and I and our only son,
the one folks call whisperin' Bill.
But Bill couldn't tell ye his name, sir.
So, you see, he's hardly worth givin'.
For a rifle ball killed his mind,
and left his body livin'.
(the poem goes on for a longer time, reflects on the horrors of civil
war battles, lost loves, etc.)
-- Thanks,
Walt Tucker
Tektronix, Inc.