October 21, 1845

William Carleton, born in rural Michigan (October 21, 1845  to December 18,  1912) was an American writer, a poet, and though forgotten today, he was prolific. A lively vein of genuine sympathy brightens his verse. His fame is said to have begun with the publication in 1872 of "Over the Hill to the Poor House." The topic is said to be the plight of those aged, and abandoned. Let us sample his verse with these excerpts, from another book, City Legends. (1900). The poem, these stanzas are from, is "The Convict's Christmas Eve" (1887). The stanzas are random, from a narrative about a man released from prison, but alone in the world which reviles him for having once broken the law.
....

The term was done; my penalty was past;
I saw the outside of the walls at last.
When I left that stone punishment of sin,
'Twas 'most as hard as when I first went in.
...
...
Thank God, with love and thrift no more at war,
That you've some one to spend your money for!
A dollar plays a very dingy part
Till magnetized by some one's grateful heart.
...

Yes, it is sentimental, but it still seems to me to show a sophisticated and generous insight into the thoughts of an outcast. And that is not a common theme in American poetry. The poem ends when he saves a child from a fire set by a Christmas tree.  Sappy ending: not so rare.

His last book was composed of aphorisms,  A Thousand Thoughts from Will Carleton. (1908). Here are some samples:

Chickens and turkeys would not be so happy, if they knew how soon and certain their death was coming; neither would human beings.

"The black cat scratched out the white cat's eye"—when black cats are telling the
Story.

It is reported that a cat has nine lives; but often there are hovering around nine deaths, to occur to it simultaneously.

I like these.