{
 "id": "james-mcintyre/alligator-rider",
 "title": "Alligator Rider",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "James McIntyre",
 "poet_slug": "james-mcintyre",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems of James McIntyre",
 "book_slug": "poems-of-james-mcintyre",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 88,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1889,
  "venue": "Poems of James McIntyre (1889)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/james-mcintyre_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_09542",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36068",
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 28,
  "n_stanzas": 7,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 41,
  "max_indent": 0
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "I was born in State of Florida,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On the banks of a mighty river,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where each big alligator’s jaw",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Makes the northern folks to shiver.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "I truly was possessed with vim,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And some droll antics I would play,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While in the river I did swim,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And rode alligators in the bay.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "It oft times amused spectators",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who came down south to gain their health,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To see me ride those alligators;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My sports to hotel brought great wealth.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "In hotel were many waiters",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To tend the guests, enjoyed my rides;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They loved to see the alligators",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When with my spurs I pierced their hides.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "My bridle great did them surprise,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I put no bit into their mouth,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But put my fingers in their eyes,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And thus amused the folks down south.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "’Tis strange I still am a survivor,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Living ’mong earth’s sons and daughters,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For I was a wondrous diver,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And could boldly swim the waters.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Swifter far than any skaters",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Do o’er north frozen waters glide,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I could stride my alligators,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And o’er the waters proudly ride.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}