Explore "Billy Millers Circus-Show" by James Whitcomb Riley on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
At Billy Miller's Circus-Show-- / In their old stable where it's at-- / The boys pays twenty pins to go, / An' gits their money's-worth at that!-- / 'Cause Billy he can climb an' chalk / His stockin'-feet an' purt'-nigh walk / A tight-rope--yes, an' ef he fall / He'll ketch, an' "skin a cat"--'at's all!
He ain't afeard to swing an' hang / 1st by his legs!--an' mayby stop / An' yell "look out!" an' nen--k-spang / He'll let loose, upside-down, an' drop / Wite on his hands! An' nen he'll do / "Contortion-acts"--ist limber through / As "Injarubber Mens" 'at goes / With shore-fer-certain circus-shows!
He's got a circus-ring--an' they's / A dressin'-room,--so's he can go / An' dress an' paint up when he plays / He's somepin' else;--'cause sometimes he's / "Ringmaster"--bossin' like he please-- / An' sometimes "Ephalunt"--er "Bare- / Back Rider," prancin out o' there!
An' sometimes--an' the best of all!-- / He's "The Old Clown," an' got on clo'es / All stripud,--an' white hat, all tall / An' peakud--like in shore-'nuff shows,-- / An' got three-cornered red-marks, too, / On his white cheeks--ist like they do!-- / An' you'd ist die, the way he sings / An' dances an' says funny things!