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").
He Called Her In
IHe called her in from me and shut the door.And she so loved the sunshine and the sky!--She loved them even better yet than IThat ne'er knew dearth..
© James Whitcomb Riley
John Walsh
A strange life--strangely passed!We may not read the soulWhen God has folded up the scrollIn death at last.We may not--dare not say of oneWhose task..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Leedle Dutch Baby
Leedle Dutch baby haff come ter town!Jabber und jump till der day gone down--Jabber und sphlutter und sphlit hees jaws--Vot a Dutch baby dees..
© James Whitcomb Riley
In The Dark
O in the depths of midnightWhat fancies haunt the brain!When even the sigh of the sleeperSounds like a sob of pain.A sense of awe and of wonderI may..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Johnson's Boy
The world is turned ag'in' me,And people says, 'They guessThat nothin' else is in meBut pure maliciousness!'I git the blame for doin'What other chaps..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Inscribed
To the Elect of Love,--or side-by-sideIn raptest ecstasy, or sundered wideBy seas that bear no message to or froBetween the loved and lost of long..
© James Whitcomb Riley
In The South
There is a princess in the SouthAbout whose beauty rumors humLike honey-bees about the mouthOf roses dewdrops falter from;And O her hair is like the..
© James Whitcomb Riley
An Autumnal Extravaganza
With a sweeter voice than birdsDare to twitter in their sleep,Pipe for me a tune of words,Till my dancing fancies leapInto freedom vaster farThan the..
© James Whitcomb Riley
A Song Of Singing
Sing! gangling lad, along the brinkOf wild brook-ways of shoal and deep,Where killdees dip, and cattle drink,And glinting little minnows leap!Sing!..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Mr. What's-His-Name
They called him Mr. What's-his-name:From where he was, or why he came,Or when, or what he found to do,Nobody in the city knew.He lived, it seemed..
© James Whitcomb Riley
The Ripest Peach
The ripest peach is highest on the tree --And so her love, beyond the reach of me,Is dearest in my sight. Sweet breezes, bowHer heart down to me..
© James Whitcomb Riley
When Bessie Died
If from your own the dimpled hands had slipped,And ne'er would nestle in your palm again;If the white feet into the grave had tripped--'When Bessie..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Mylo Jones's Wife
'Mylo Jones's wife' was allI heerd, mighty near, last Fall--Visitun relations downT'other side of Morgantown!Mylo Jones's wife she doesThis and that..
© James Whitcomb Riley
A Variation
I am tired of this!Nothing else but loving!Nothing else but kiss and kiss,Coo, and turtle-doving!Can't you change the order some?Hate me just a..
© James Whitcomb Riley
A Wrangdillion
Dexery-tethery! down in the dike,Under the ooze and the slime,Nestles the wraith of a reticent Gryke,Blubbering bubbles of rhyme:Though the reeds..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Billy's Alphabetical Animal Show
A was an elegant ApeWho tied up his ears with red tape,And wore a long veilHalf revealing his tailWhich was trimmed with jet bugles and crape.B was a..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Friday Afternoon
To William Morris Pierson[1868-1870]Of the wealth of facts and fanciesThat our memories may recall,The old school-day romancesAre the dearest, after..
© James Whitcomb Riley
When Old Jack Died
I.When old Jack died, we staid from school (they said,At home, we needn't go that day), and noneOf us ate any breakfast--only one,And that was..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Doc Sifers
Of all the doctors I could cite you to in this-'ere townDoc Sifers is my favorite, jes' take him up and down!Count in the Bethel Neighberhood, and..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Dot Leedle Boy
Ot's a leedle Gristmas storyDot I told der leedle folks--Und I vant you stop dot laughin'Und grackin' funny jokes!--So help me Peter-Moses!Ot's no..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Maymie's Story Of Red Riding Hood
W'y, one time wuz a little-weenty dirl,An' she wuz named Red Riding Hood, 'cause her--Her _Ma_ she maked a little red cloak fer her'At turnt up over..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Laughter Holding Both His Sides
Ay, thou varlet! Laugh away!All the world's a holiday!Laugh away, and roar and shoutTill thy hoarse tongue lolleth out!Bloat thy cheeks, and bulge..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Kneeling With Herrick
Dear Lord, to Thee my knee is bent.--Give me content--Full-pleasured with what comes to me,What e'er it be:An humble roof--a frugal board,And simple..
© James Whitcomb Riley
In The Evening
IIn the evening of our days,When the first far stars aboveGlimmer dimmer, through the haze,Than the dewy eyes of love,Shall we mournfully revertTo..
© James Whitcomb Riley
Climatic Sorcery
When frost's all on our winder, an' the snow'sAll out-o'-doors, our 'Old-Kriss'-milkman goesA-drivin' round, ist purt'-nigh froze to death,With his..
© James Whitcomb Riley