Section: «Poems»

Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings: artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.); a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").

Extremes

IA little boy once played so loudThat the Thunder, up in a thunder-cloud,Said, 'Since I can't be heard, why, thenI'll never, never thunder..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Grant At Rest-- August 8, 1885

Sir Launcelot rode overthwart and endlong in a wide forest, and held nopath but as wild adventure led him... And he returned and came again to..

© James Whitcomb Riley

His Room

'I'm home again, my dear old Room,I'm home again, and happy, too,As, peering through the brightening gloom,I find myself alone with you:Though brief..

© James Whitcomb Riley

A Song Of Long Ago

A song of Long Ago:Sing it lightly--sing it low--Sing it softly--like the lisping of the lips we used to knowWhen our baby-laughter spilledFrom the..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Natural Perversities

I am not prone to moralizeIn scientific doubtOn certain facts that Nature triesTo puzzle us about,--For I am no philosopherOf wise elucidation,But..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Craqueodoom

The Crankadox leaned o'er the edge of the moonAnd wistfully gazed on the seaWhere the Gryxabodill madly whistled a tuneTo the air of..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Kissing The Rod

O heart of mine, we shouldn'tWorry so!What we've missed of calm we couldn'tHave, you know!What we've met of stormy pain,And of sorrow's driving..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Dream-March

'Wasn't it a funny dream!--perfectly bewild'rin'!--Last night, and night before, and night before that,Seemed like I saw the march o' regiments o'..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Dawn, Noon And Dewfall

I.Dawn, noon and dewfall! Bluebird and robinUp and at it airly, and the orchard-blossoms bobbin'!Peekin' from the winder, half-awake, and wishin'I..

© James Whitcomb Riley

An Impetuous Resolve

When little Dickie Swope's a man,He's go' to be a Sailor;An' little Hamey Tincher, he'sA-go' to be a Tailor:Bud Mitchell, he's a-go' to beA stylish..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Jim

He was jes a plain ever'-day, all-round kind of a jour.,Consumpted-Iookin'-- but la!The jokeiest, wittiest, story-tellin', song-singin', laughin'est..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Elmer Brown

Awf'lest boy in this-here townEr anywheres is Elmer Brown!He'll mock you--yes, an' strangers, too,An' make a face an' yell at you,--'_Here's_ the way..

© James Whitcomb Riley

I Smoke My Pipe

I can't extend to every friendIn need a helping hand--No matter though I wish it so,'Tis not as Fortune planned;But haply may I fancy theyAre men of..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Limitations Of Genius

The audience entire seemed pleased--indeed_Extremely_ pleased. And little Maymie, freedFrom her task of instructing, ran to showHer wondrous colored..

© James Whitcomb Riley

A Scrawl

I want to sing something-- but this is all--I try and I try, but the rhymes are dullAs though they were damp, and the echoes fallLimp and..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Our Little Girl

Her heart knew naught of sorrow,Nor the vaguest taint of sin--'Twas an ever-blooming blossomOf the purity within:And her hands knew only touchesOf..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Dan Paine

Old friend of mine, whose chiming nameHas been the burthen of a rhymeWithin my heart since first I cameTo know thee in thy mellow prime;With warm..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Lockerbie Street

Such a dear little street it is, nestled awayFrom the noise of the city and heat of the day,In cool shady coverts of whispering trees,With their..

© James Whitcomb Riley

His Mother's Way

Tomps 'ud allus haf to saySomepin' 'bout 'his mother's way.'--_He_ lived hard-like--never jinedAny church of any kind.--'It was Mother's way,' says..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Jack-In-The-Box

_(Grandfather, musing.)_In childish days! O memory,You bring such curious things to me!--Laughs to the lip--tears to the eye,In looking on the gifts..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Honey Dripping From The Comb

How slight a thing may set one's fancy driftingUpon the dead sea of the Past!--A view--Sometimes an odor--or a rooster liftingA far-off 'OOH!..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Just To Be Good

Just to be good--This is enough--enough!O we who find sin's billows wild and rough,Do we not feel how more than any goldWould be the blameless life..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Winter Fancies

IWinter withoutAnd warmth within;The winds may shoutAnd the storm begin;The snows may packAt the window pane,And the skies grow black,And the sun..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Writin' Back To The Home-Folks

My dear old friends--It jes beats all,The way you write a letterSo's ever' _last_ line beats the _first_,And ever' _next_-un's better!--W'y, ever'..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Noey's Night-Piece

'They ain't much 'tale' about it!' Noey said.--'K'tawby grapes wuz gittin' good-n-redI rickollect; and Tubb Kingry and me'Ud kindo' browse round..

© James Whitcomb Riley