'Twas just behind the woodshed,
One glorious summer day.
Far o'er the hills, the sinking sun
Pursued its western way;
And in my safe seclusion
Removed from o'er the jar
And sim of earths confusion
I smoked my first cigar.
*
It was my first cigar!
It was my worst cigar!
Raw, green, dank, hidebound and rank,
It was my first cigar!
*
Ah, bright the boyish fancies
Wrapped in smoke-wreath blue;
My eyes grew dim, my head was light,
The woodshed round me flew!
Dark night closed in around me-
Black night, without a star-
Grim death me thought had found me
And spoiled my first cigar.
*
It was my first cigar!
A six-for-five cigar!
No viler torch the air could scorch-
It was my first cigar!
*
All pallid was my beaded brow,
The reeling night was late,
My startled mother cried in fear,
"My child, what have you ate?"
I heard my fathers smothered laugh,
It seemed so strange and far,
I knew he knew, I knew he knew
I'd smoked my first cigar!
*
It was my first cigar!
A give-away cigar!
I could not die- I knew not why-
It was my first cigar!
*
Since then I've stood in reckless ways.
I've dared what men can dare,
I've mocked at danger, walked with death,
I've laughed at pain and care,
I do not dread what may befall
'Neath my malignant star,
No frowning fate can make
Me smoke my first cigar!
*
-Robert J. Burdette
YOU ARE READING
Chicken Soup For The Soul- Redone
PoetryI'm not sure how many of you, if any, have ever read or even heard of the chicken soup for the soul book series. I used to love reading them and I own several of them. With that being said, I am making a collection of all my favorite poems that I've...
