[ { "title": "The Song of Yesterday", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "I", "But yesterday", "I looked away", "O'er happy lands, where sunshine lay", "In golden blots,", "Inlaid with spots", "Of shade and wild forget-me-nots.", "", "My head was fair", "With flaxen hair,", "And fragrant breezes, faint and rare,", "And, warm with drouth", "From out the south,", "Blew all my curls across my mouth.", "", "And, cool and sweet,", "My naked feet", "Found dewy pathways through the wheat;", "And out again", "Where, down the lane,", "The dust was dimpled with the rain.", "", "II", "But yesterday! --", "Adream, astray,", "From morning's red to evening's dray,", "O'er dales and hills", "Of daffodils", "And lorn sweet-fluting whippoorwills.", "", "I knew nor cares", "Nor tears nor prayers --", "A mortal god, crowned unawares", "With sunset -- and", "A scepter-wand", "Of apple-blossoms in my hand!", "", "The dewy blue", "Of twilight grew", "To purple, with a star or two", "Whose lisping rays", "Failed in the blaze", "Of sudden fireflies through the haze.", "", "III", "But yesterday", "I heard the lay", "Of summer birds, when I, as they", "With breast and wing,", "All quivering", "With life and love, could only sing.", "", "My head was leant", "Where, with it, blent", "A maiden's, o'er her instrument;", "While all the night,", "From vale to height,", "Was filled with echoes of delight.", "", "And all our dreams", "Were lit with gleams", "Of that lost land of reedy streams,", "Along whose brim", "Forever swim", "Pan's lilies, laughing up at him.", "", "IV", "But yesterday! . . .", "O blooms of May,", "And summer roses -- where away?", "O stars above;", "And lips of love,", "And all the honeyed sweets thereof! --", "", "O lad and lass,", "And orchard pass,", "And briered lane, and daisied grass!", "O gleam and gloom,", "And woodland bloom,", "And breezy breaths of all perfume! --", "", "No more for me", "Or mine shall be", "Thy raptures -- save in memory, --", "No more -- no more --", "Till through the Door", "Of Glory gleam the days of yore." ], "linecount": "76" }, { "title": "A Summer Afternoon", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "A languid atmosphere, a lazy breeze,", "With labored respiration, moves the wheat", "From distant reaches, till the golden seas", "Break in crisp whispers at my feet.", "", "My book, neglected of an idle mind,", "Hides for a moment from the eyes of men;", "Or lightly opened by a critic wind,", "Affrightedly reviews itself again.", "", "Off through the haze that dances in the shine", "The warm sun showers in the open glade,", "The forest lies, a silhouette design", "Dimmed through and through with shade.", "", "A dreamy day; and tranquilly I lie", "At anchor from all storms of mental strain;", "With absent vision, gazing at the sky,", "\"Like one that hears it rain.\"", "", "The Katydid, so boisterous last night,", "Clinging, inverted, in uneasy poise,", "Beneath a wheat-blade, has forgotten quite", "If \"Katy DID or DIDN'T\" make a noise.", "", "The twitter, sometimes, of a wayward bird", "That checks the song abruptly at the sound,", "And mildly, chiding echoes that have stirred,", "Sink into silence, all the more profound.", "", "And drowsily I hear the plaintive strain", "Of some poor dove . . . Why, I can scarcely keep", "My heavy eyelids--there it is again--", "\"Coo-coo!\"--I mustn't--\"Coo-coo!\"--fall asleep!" ], "linecount": "28" }, { "title": "There Was a Cherry-Tree", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "There was a cherry-tree. Its bloomy snows", "Cool even now the fevered sight that knows", "No more its airy visions of pure joy --", "As when you were a boy.", "", "There was a cherry-tree. The Bluejay sat", "His blue against its white -- O blue as jet", "He seemed there then!-- But now -- Whoever knew", "He was so pale a blue!", "", "There was a cherry-tree -- our child-eyes saw", "The miracle:-- Its pure white snows did thaw", "Into a crimson fruitage, far too sweet", "But for a boy to eat.", "", "There was a cherry-tree, give thanks and joy!--", "There was a bloom of snow -- There was a boy --", "There was a bluejay of the realest blue --", "And fruit for both of you." ], "linecount": "16" }, { "title": "Liberty", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "New Castle, July 4, 1878", "", "or a hundred years the pulse of time", "Has throbbed for Liberty;", "For a hundred years the grand old clime", "Columbia has been free;", "For a hundred years our country's love,", "The Stars and Stripes, has waved above.", "", "Away far out on the gulf of years--", "Misty and faint and white", "Through the fogs of wrong--a sail appears,", "And the Mayflower heaves in sight,", "And drifts again, with its little flock", "Of a hundred souls, on Plymouth Rock.", "", "Do you see them there--as long, long since--", "Through the lens of History;", "Do you see them there as their chieftain prints", "In the snow his bended knee,", "And lifts his voice through the wintry blast", "In thanks for a peaceful home at last?", "", "Though the skies are dark and the coast is bleak,", "And the storm is wild and fierce,", "Its frozen flake on the upturned cheek", "Of the Pilgrim melts in tears,", "And the dawn that springs from the darkness there", "Is the morning light of an answered prayer.", "", "The morning light of the day of Peace", "That gladdens the aching eyes,", "And gives to the soul that sweet release", "That the present verifies,--", "Nor a snow so deep, nor a wind so chill", "To quench the flame of a freeman's will!", "", "II", "", "Days of toil when the bleeding hand", "Of the pioneer grew numb,", "When the untilled tracts of the barren land", "Where the weary ones had come", "Could offer nought from a fruitful soil", "To stay the strength of the stranger's toil.", "", "Days of pain, when the heart beat low,", "And the empty hours went by", "Pitiless, with the wail of woe", "And the moan of Hunger's cry--", "When the trembling hands upraised in prayer", "Had only the strength to hold them there.", "", "Days when the voice of hope had fled--", "Days when the eyes grown weak", "Were folded to, and the tears they shed", "Were frost on a frozen cheek--", "When the storm bent down from the skies and gave", "A shroud of snow for the Pilgrim's grave.", "", "Days at last when the smiling sun", "Glanced down from a summer sky,", "And a music rang where the rivers run,", "And the waves went laughing by;", "And the rose peeped over the mossy bank", "While the wild deer stood in the stream and drank.", "", "And the birds sang out so loud and good,", "In a symphony so clear", "And pure and sweet that the woodman stood", "With his ax upraised to hear,", "And to shape the words of the tongue unknown", "Into a language all his own--", "", "", "1", "", "'Sing! every bird, to-day!", "Sing for the sky so clear,", "And the gracious breath of the atmosphere", "Shall waft our cares away.", "Sing! sing! for the sunshine free;", "Sing through the land from sea to sea;", "Lift each voice in the highest key", "And sing for Liberty!'", "", "", "2", "", "'Sing for the arms that fling", "Their fetters in the dust", "And lift their hands in higher trust", "Unto the one Great King;", "Sing for the patriot heart and hand;", "Sing for the country they have planned;", "Sing that the world may understand", "This is Freedom's land!'", "", "", "3", "", "'Sing in the tones of prayer,", "Sing till the soaring soul", "Shall float above the world's control", "In freedom everywhere!", "Sing for the good that is to be,", "Sing for the eyes that are to see", "The land where man at last is free,", "O sing for liberty!'", "", "III", "", "A holy quiet reigned, save where the hand", "Of labor sent a murmur through the land,", "And happy voices in a harmony", "Taught every lisping breeze a melody.", "A nest of cabins, where the smoke upcurled", "A breathing incense to the other world.", "A land of languor from the sun of noon,", "That fainted slowly to the pallid moon,", "Till stars, thick-scattered in the garden-land", "Of Heaven by the great Jehovah's hand,", "Had blossomed into light to look upon", "The dusky warrior with his arrow drawn,", "As skulking from the covert of the night", "With serpent cunning and a fiend's delight,", "With murderous spirit, and a yell of hate", "The voice of Hell might tremble to translate:", "When the fond mother's tender lullaby", "Went quavering in shrieks all suddenly,", "And baby-lips were dabbled with the stain", "Of crimson at the bosom of the slain,", "And peaceful homes and fortunes ruined--lost", "In smoldering embers of the holocaust.", "Yet on and on, through years of gloom and strife,", "Our country struggled into stronger life;", "Till colonies, like footprints in the sand,", "Marked Freedom's pathway winding through the land--", "And not the footprints to be swept away", "Before the storm we hatched in Boston Bay,--", "But footprints where the path of war begun", "That led to Bunker Hill and Lexington,--", "For he who \"dared to lead where others dared", "To follow\" found the promise there declared", "Of Liberty, in blood of Freedom's host", "Baptized to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!", "", "Oh, there were times when every patriot breast", "Was riotous with sentiments expressed", "In tones that swelled in volume till the sound", "Of lusty war itself was well-nigh drowned.", "Oh, those were times when happy eyes with tears", "Brimmed o'er as all the misty doubts and fears", "Were washed away, and Hope with gracious mien,", "Reigned from her throne again a sovereign queen.", "Until at last, upon a day like this", "When flowers were blushing at the summer's kiss,", "And when the sky was cloudless as the face", "Of some sweet infant in its angel grace,--", "There came a sound of music, thrown afloat", "Upon the balmy air--a clanging note", "Reiterated from the brazen throat", "Of Independence Bell: A sound so sweet,", "The clamoring throngs of people in the streets", "Were stilled as at the solemn voice of prayer,", "And heads were bowed, and lips were moving there", "That made no sound--until the spell had passed,", "And then, as when all sudden comes the blast", "Of some tornado, came the cheer on cheer", "Of every eager voice, while far and near", "The echoing bells upon the atmosphere", "Set glorious rumors floating, till the ear", "Of every listening patriot tingled clear,", "And thrilled with joy and jubilee to hear.", "", "I", "", "'Stir all your echoes up,", "O Independence Bell,", "And pour from your inverted cup", "The song we love so well.", "", "'Lift high your happy voice,", "And swing your iron tongue", "Till syllables of praise rejoice", "That never yet were sung.", "", "'Ring in the gleaming dawn", "Of Freedom--Toll the knell", "Of Tyranny, and then ring on,", "O Independence Bell.--", "", "'Ring on, and drown the moan,", "Above the patriot slain,", "Till sorrow's voice shall catch the tone", "And join the glad refrain.", "", "'Ring out the wounds of wrong", "And rankle in the breast;", "Your music like a slumber-song", "Will lull revenge to rest.", "", "'Ring out from Occident", "To Orient, and peal", "From continent to continent", "The mighty joy you feel.", "", "'Ring! Independence Bell!", "Ring on till worlds to be", "Shall listen to the tale you tell", "Of love and Liberty!'", "", "IV", "", "O Liberty--the dearest word", "A bleeding country ever heard,--", "We lay our hopes upon thy shrine", "And offer up our lives for thine.", "You gave us many happy years", "Of peace and plenty ere the tears", "A mourning country wept were dried", "Above the graves of those who died", "Upon thy threshold. And again", "When newer wars were bred, and men", "Went marching in the cannon's breath", "And died for thee and loved the death,", "While, high above them, gleaming bright,", "The dear old flag remained in sight,", "And lighted up their dying eyes", "With smiles that brightened paradise.", "O Liberty, it is thy power", "To gladden us in every hour", "Of gloom, and lead us by thy hand", "As little children through a land", "Of bud and blossom; while the days", "Are filled with sunshine, and thy praise", "Is warbled in the roundelays", "Of joyous birds, and in the song", "Of waters, murmuring along", "The paths of peace, whose flowery fringe", "Has roses finding deeper tinge", "Of crimson, looking on themselves", "Reflected--leaning from the shelves", "Of cliff and crag and mossy mound", "Of emerald splendor shadow-drowned.--", "We hail thy presence, as you come", "With bugle blast and rolling drum,", "And booming guns and shouts of glee", "Commingled in a symphony", "That thrills the worlds that throng to see", "The glory of thy pageantry.", "0And with thy praise, we breathe a prayer", "That God who leaves you in our care", "May favor us from this day on", "With thy dear presence--till the dawn", "Of Heaven, breaking on thy face,", "Lights up thy first abiding place." ], "linecount": "224" }, { "title": "Who Bides His Time", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "Who bides his time, and day by day", "Faces defeat full patiently,", "And lifts a mirthful roundelay,", "However poor his fortunes be,--", "He will not fail in any qualm", "Of poverty -- the paltry dime", "It will grow golden in his palm,", "Who bides his time.", "", "Who bides his time -- he tastes the sweet", "Of honey in the saltest tear;", "And though he fares with slowest feet,", "Joy runs to meet him, drawing near;", "The birds are hearalds of his cause;", "And, like a never-ending rhyme,", "The roadsides bloom in his applause,", "Who bides his time.", "", "Who bides his time, and fevers not", "In the hot race that none achieves,", "Shall wear cool-wreathen laurel, wrought", "With crimson berries in the leaves;", "And he shall reign a goodly king,", "And sway his hand o'er every clime", "With peace writ on his signet-ring,", "Who bides his time." ], "linecount": "24" }, { "title": "Our Hired Girl", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "Our hired girl, she's 'Lizabuth Ann;", "An' she can cook best things to eat!", "She ist puts dough in our pie-pan,", "An' pours in somepin' 'at's good an' sweet;", "An' nen she salts it all on top", "With cinnamon; an' nen she'll stop", "An' stoop an' slide it, ist as slow,", "In th' old cook-stove, so's 'twon't slop", "An' git all spilled; nen bakes it, so", "It's custard-pie, first thing you know!", "An' nen she'll say,", "\"Clear out o' my way!", "They's time fer work, an' time fer play!", "Take yer dough, an' run, child, run!", "Er I cain't git no cookin' done!\"", "", "When our hired girl 'tends like she's mad,", "An' says folks got to walk the chalk", "When she's around, er wisht they had!", "I play out on our porch an' talk", "To Th' Raggedy Man 'at mows our lawn;", "An' he says, \"Whew!\" an' nen leans on", "His old crook-scythe, and blinks his eyes,", "An' sniffs all 'round an' says, \"I swawn!", "Ef my old nose don't tell me lies,", "It 'pears like I smell custard-pies!\"", "An' nen he'll say,", "\"Clear out o' my way!", "They's time fer work, an' time fer play!", "Take yer dough, an' run, child, run!", "Er she cain't git no cookin' done!\"", "", "Wunst our hired girl, when she", "Got the supper, an' we all et,", "An' it wuz night, an' Ma an' me", "An' Pa went wher' the \"Social\" met,--", "An' nen when we come home, an' see", "A light in the kitchen door, an' we", "Heerd a maccordeun, Pa says, \"Lan'--", "O'-Gracious! who can her beau be?\"", "An' I marched in, an' 'Lizabuth Ann", "Wuz parchin' corn fer The Raggedy Man!", "Better say,", "\"Clear out o' the way!", "They's time fer work, an' time fer play!", "Take the hint, an' run, child, run!", "Er we cain't git no courtin' done!\"" ], "linecount": "45" }, { "title": "A Life-Lesson", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "There! little girl; don't cry!", "They have broken your doll, I know;", "And your tea-set blue,", "And your play-house, too,", "Are things of the long ago;", "But childish troubles will soon pass by. --", "There! little girl; don't cry!", "", "There! little girl; don't cry!", "They have broken your slate, I know;", "And the glad, wild ways", "Of your schoolgirl days", "Are things of the long ago;", "But life and love will soon come by. --", "There! little girl; don't cry!", "", "There! little girl; don't cry!", "They have broken your heart I know;", "And the rainbow gleams", "Of your youthful dreams", "Are things of the long ago;", "But Heaven holds all for which you sigh. --", "There! little girl; don't cry!" ], "linecount": "21" }, { "title": "A Song of the Road", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "O I will walk with you, my lad, whichever way you fare,", "You'll have me, too, the side o' you, with heart as light as air;", "No care for where the road you take's a-leadin' anywhere,--", "It can but be a joyful ja'nt whilst you journey there.", "The road you take's the path o' love, an' that's the bridth o' two--", "An' I will walk with you, my lad -- O I will walk with you.", "", "Ho! I will walk with you, my lad,", "Be weather black or blue", "Or roadsides frost or dew, my lad --", "O I will walk with you.", "", "Aye, glad, my lad, I'll walk with you, whatever winds may blow,", "Or summer blossoms stay our steps, or blinding drifts of snow;", "The way thay you set face an' foot 's the way that I will go,", "An' brave I'll be, abreast o' ye, the Saints and Angels know!", "With loyal hand in loyal hand, an' one heart made o' two,", "Through summer's gold, or winter's cold, It's I will walk with you.", "", "Sure, I will walk with you, my lad,", "A love ordains me to,--", "To Heaven's door, an' through, my lad.", "O I will walk with you." ], "linecount": "20" }, { "title": "Ike Walton's Prayer", "author": "James Whitcomb Riley", "lines": [ "I crave, dear Lord,", "No boundless hoard", "Of gold and gear,", "Nor jewels fine,", "Nor lands, nor kine,", "Nor treasure-heaps of anything.-", "Let but a little hut be mine", "Where at the hearthstore I may hear", "The cricket sing,", "And have the shine", "Of one glad woman's eyes to make,", "For my poor sake,", "Our simple home a place divine;-", "Just the wee cot-the cricket's chirr-", "Love, and the smiling face of her.", "", "I pray not for", "Great riches, nor", "For vast estates, and castle-halls,-", "Give me to hear the bare footfalls", "Of children o’er", "An oaken floor,", "New-risen with sunshine, or bespread", "With but the tiny coverlet", "And pillow for the baby’s head;", "And pray Thou, may", "The door stand open and the day", "Send ever in a gentle breeze,", "With fragrance from the locust-trees,", "And drowsy moan of doves, and blur", "Of robin-chirps, and drove of bees,", "With afterhushes of the stir", "Of intermingling sounds, and then", "The good-wife and the smile of her", "Filling the silences again-", "The cricket’s call,", "And the wee cot,", "Dear Lord of all,", "Deny me not!", "", "I pray not that", "Men tremble at", "My power of place", "And lordly sway, -", "I only pray for simple grace", "To look my neighbor in the face", "Full honestly from day to day-", "Yield me this horny palm to hold,", "And I’ll not pray", "For gold;-", "The tanned face, garlanded with mirth,", "It hath the kingliest smile on earth-", "The swart brow, diamonded with sweat,", "Hath never need of coronet.", "And so I reach,", "Dear Lord, to Thee,", "And do beseech", "Thou givest me", "The wee cot, and the cricket’s chirr,", "Love, and the glad sweet face of her." ], "linecount": "58" } ]