<h2>"RINGWORM FRANK"</h2>
<h3>BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY</h3>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">Jest Frank Reed's his <i>real</i> name—though<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Boys all calls him "Ringworm Frank,"<br/></span>
<span class="i0">'Cause he allus <i>runs round</i> so.—<br/></span>
<span class="i2">No man can't tell where to bank<br/></span>
<span class="i8"><i>Frank</i>'ll be,<br/></span>
<span class="i8">Next you see<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Er <i>hear</i> of him!—Drat his melts!—<br/></span>
<span class="i2">That man's allus <i>somers else</i>!<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">We're old pards.—But Frank he jest<br/></span>
<span class="i4"><i>Can't</i> stay still!—Wuz <i>prosper'n here</i>,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">But lit out on furder West<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Somers on a ranch, last year:<br/></span>
<span class="i8">Never heard<br/></span>
<span class="i8">Nary a word<br/></span>
<span class="i2"><i>How</i> he liked it, tel to-day,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Got this card, reads thisaway:—<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">"Dad-burn climate out here makes<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Me homesick all Winter long,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">And when Springtime <i>comes</i>, it takes<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Two pee-wees to sing one song,—<br/></span>
<span class="i8">One sings '<i>pee</i>'<br/></span>
<span class="i8">And the other one '<i>wee</i>!'<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Stay right where you air, old pard.—<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Wisht <i>I</i> wuz this postal-card!"<br/></span>
<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_396" id="Page_396"></SPAN></span></div>
</div>
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