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").
The Beautiful City
The Beautiful City! ForeverIts rapturous praises resound;We fain would behold it-- but neverA glimpse of its dory is found:We slacken our lips at the..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Pan
This Pan is but an idle god, I guess,Since all the fair midsummer of my dreamsHe loiters listlessly by woody streams,Soaking the lush glooms up with..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Over The Eyes Of Gladness
'The voice of One hath spoken,And the bended reed is bruised--The golden bowl is broken,And the silver cord is loosed.'Over the eyes of gladnessThe..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Reach Your Hand To Me
Reach your hand to me, my friend,With its heartiest caress--Sometime there will come an endTo its present faithfulness--Sometime I may ask in vainFor..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Proem
Where are they-- the Afterwhiles--Luring us the lengthening milesOf our lives? Where is the dawnWith the dew across the lawnStroked with eager feet..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Private Theatricals
A quite convincing axiomIs, 'Life is like a play';For, turning back its pages someFew dog-eared years away,I find where ICommitted myLove-tale--with..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Prior To Miss Belle's Appearance
What makes you come HERE fer, Mister,So much to our house?--SAY?Come to see our big sister!--An' Charley he says 'at you kissed herAn' he ketched..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Plain Sermons
I saw a man--and envied him beside--Because of this world's goods he had great store;But even as I envied him, he died,And left me envious of him no..
© James Whitcomb Riley
The Drum
O the drum!There is someIntonation in thy grumMonotony of utterance that strikes the spirit dumb,As we hearThrough the clearAnd unclouded..
© James Whitcomb Riley
To Santa Claus
Most tangible of all the gods that be,O Santa Claus-- our own since Infancy!As first we scampered to thee-- now, as then,Take us as children to thy..
© James Whitcomb Riley
We Must Believe
_'Lord, I believe: help Thou mine unbelief.'_We must believe--Being from birth endowed with love and trust--Born unto loving;--and how simply..
© James Whitcomb Riley
What Chris'Mas Fetched The Wigginses
Wintertime, er Summertime,Of late years I notice I'm,Kindo'-like, more subjec' toWhat the _weather_ is. Now, youFolks 'at lives in town, I..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Uncle Mart's Poem
THE OLD SNOW-MANHo! the old Snow-ManThat Noey Bixler made!He looked as fierce and sassyAs a soldier on parade!--'Cause Noey, when he made him,While..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Tugg Martin
I.Tugg Martin's tough.--No doubt o' that!And down there atThe town he come from word's bin sentAdvisin' this-here Settle-mentTo kindo' _humor_ Tugg..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Tom Van Arden
Tom Van Arden, my old friend,Our warm fellowship is oneFar too old to comprehendWhere its bond was first begun:Mirage-like before my gazeGleams a..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Tom Johnson's Quit
A passel o' the boys last night--An' me amongst 'em--kindo gotTo talkin' Temper'nce left an' right,An' workin' up 'blue-ribbon,' _hot_;An' while we..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Told By
Coming, clean from the Maryland-endOf this great National Road of ours,Through your vast West; with the time to spend,Stopping for days in the main..
© James Whitcomb Riley
To The Serenader
Tinkle on, O sweet guitar,Let the dancing fingersLoiter where the low notes areBlended with the singer's:Let the midnight pour the moon'sMellow wine..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Wash Lowry's Reminiscence
And you're the poet of this concern?I've seed your name in printA dozen times, but I'll be dernI'd 'a' never 'a' took the hintO' the size you..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Want To Be Whur Mother Is
'Want to be whur mother is! Want to be whur mother is!'Jeemses Rivers! won't some one ever shet that howl o' his?That-air yellin' drives me..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Waitin' Fer The Cat To Die
Lawzy! don't I rickollectThat-'air old swing in the lane!Right and proper, I expect,Old times _can't_ come back again;But I want to state, ef..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Their Sweet Sorrow
They meet to say farewell: Their wayOf saying this is hard to say--.He holds her hand an Instant, whollyDistressed-- and she unclasps it slowly,He..
© James Whitcomb Riley
The Wife-Blessed
I.In youth he wrought, with eyes ablur,Lorn-faced and long of hair--In youth--in youth he painted herA sister of the air--Could clasp her not, but..
© James Whitcomb Riley
The Way It Wuz
Las' July--an', I persume'Bout as hotAs the ole Gran'-Jury roomWhere they sot!--Fight 'twixt Mike an' Dock McGriff--'Pears to me jes' like as ifI'd a..
© James Whitcomb Riley
To My Good Master
In fancy, always, at thy desk, thrown wide,Thy most betreasured books ranged neighborly--The rarest rhymes of every land and seaAnd curious..
© James Whitcomb Riley