Poems (Merrill)/Stop Talkin'

by Clara A. Merrill

STOP TALKIN'

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When a feller gets his back up
 And his temper's in a muss;
If he keeps a peckin' at ye—
 Tryin' hard to pick a fuss.—
Jest ye go about yer bis-ness.
 'Course its aggravatin'—but
Half the row will be averted
 If ye'll keep yer talker shut!

Shut yer lips together firmly—
 Let the "other feller" groan,—
Soon yell find the ranch deserted,
 For he will not fight alone.
Ferocious bully'll prove a coward,—
 If ye swerve not from the rut
Of yer staunch determination
 That yell keep yer talker shut!

Talkin' makes a heap o' trouble
 Out o' nothin', scandals great,—
As one gossip, then another
 From the truth will deviate
'Till the color of the story
 Darker grows—I tell ye what,
Wouldn't be so many heartaches
 If they 'd keep their talkers shut!

Talkin's right, if they would only
 Try to smooth the weary way
Of some poor, lone, ship wrecked brother
 And a word of comfort say
To the sick and weepin' dweller
 Of the rude and lowly hut.—
Then, yes, then, the time is for ye
 Not to keep yer talker shut!

If ye try to see the many
 Virtues of yer feller men—
And yer kindly acts uplift him—
 Ye are doin' nobler, then
When to some heart yer words so cruel
 Gives a deep malicious cut.—
If ye can't speak words of kindness
 Better keep yer talker shut!