Even song

James Whitcomb Riley 1849 (Greenfield) – 1916 (Indianapolis)



Lay away the story,--
Though the theme is sweet,
There's a lack of something yet,
Leaves it incomplete:--
There's a nameless yearning--
Strangely undefined--
For a story sweeter still
Than the written kind.

Therefore read no longer--
I've no heart to hear
But just something you make up,
O my mother dear.--
With your arms around me,
Hold me, folded-eyed,--
Only let your voice go on--
I'll be satisfied.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 13, 2023

23 sec read
449

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABXBXCXC XXXXADXD
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 397
Words 75
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 8, 8

James Whitcomb Riley

James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and his children's poetry respectively. more…

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    "Even song" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/20874/even-song>.

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