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").

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

To An Importunate Ghost

Get gone, thou most uncomfortable ghost!Thou really dost annoy me with thy thinImpalpable transparency of grin;And the vague, shadowy shape of thee..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Time Of Clearer Twitterings

I.Time of crisp and tawny leaves,And of tarnished harvest sheaves,And of dusty grasses--weeds--Thistles, with their tufted seedsVoyaging the Autumn..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Time

1The ticking-- ticking-- ticking of the clock--!That vexed me so last night--! 'For though Time keepsSuch drowsy watch,' I moaned, 'he never..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Through Sleepy-Land

Where do you go when you go to sleep,Little Boy! Little Boy! where?'Way--'way in where's Little Bo-Peep,And Little Boy Blue, and the Cows and..

© James Whitcomb Riley

Three Dead Friends

Always suddenly they are gone--The friends we trusted and held secure--Suddenly we are gazing on,Not a _smiling_ face, but the marble-pureDead mask..

© James Whitcomb Riley