Complete Poetry Index by First Line

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY.COM

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COMPLETE INDEX OF FIRST LINES OF RILEY POETRY

Pagination refers to Collier Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley found elsewhere on this website - Please use website SEARCH engine for link

* First lines thus designated do not start a new poem but are
sections of a larger one.

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A barefoot boy! I mark him at his play......... IV 915

A Child-World, yet a wondrous world no less VII 1711

A corpulent man is my bachelor chum.......... II 473

*A daring prince, of the realm Rangg Dhune VIII 2085
A dark, tempestuous night; the stars shut

in.......................................................... I 52

A day of torpor in the sullen heat................. I 134

A deep, delicious hush in earth and sky....... IV 1030

A face of youth mature; a mouth of tender. VII 1854

A fantasy that came to me............................ I 26o

A goddess, with a siren's grace.................... I 168

A good man never dies.......................... VIII 1991

" A homely little woman with big hands ". II 552

A King—estranged from his loving Queen I 65

A languid atmosphere, a lazy breeze.............. I so

A little boy once played so loud.............. VIII 2050

A Little Dog-Woggy..................................... VI 1654

*A little maid, of summers four................ VIII 2093

A lover said, " 0 Maiden, love me well "......... I 42
A man by the name of Bolus—(all 'at we'll

ever know............................................... V 1298

A misty memory—faint, far away............. VII 1934

A modest singer, with meek soul and heart VII 1936

A monument for the Soldiers....................... IV 1002

A' old Tramp slep' in our stable wunst.......... VI 1425

*A palace veiled in a glimmering dusk II 341
2721

2722 INDEX OF FIRST LINES

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A passel o' the boys last night...................... ........ II 448

A peaceful life;—just toil and rest................. ........ IV 1055

A poor man? Yes, I must confess.................. ........ IV 950

A quite convincing axiom............................ .......... I 73

A something quiet and subdued.................... ...... III 726

A song of Long Ago................................. IV...... 88o

A strange life—strangely passed................... .......... I 166
A thing 'at's 'bout as tryin' as a healthy man

kin meet................................................. ......... V 1256
A thoughtful brow and face—of sallow

hue........................................................ ...... III 813

A troth, and a grief, and a blessing............... ........ IV 1046

A was an elegant Ape................................. ........ IV 1012

*A wee little worm in a hickory-nut......... VIII..... 2084

A woman's figure, on a ground of night . III 658

A word of Godspeed and good cheer............. ........ VI 1466

Abe Martin!—dad-burn his old picture. . . VIII 2189

*1E0! _'So! 1E0!............................................. ........ II 368

After a thoughtful, almost painful pause. . VII 1920

After the frost! 0 the rose is dead................. ...... III 766

Ah! at last alone, love................................. ...... III 657

Ah, friend of mine, how goes it.................... .......... I 62

*Ah, help me! but her face and brow.......................... 329

Ah, luxury! Beyond the heat........................ ...... III 811
Ah! this delights me more than words could

tell......................................................... ........ II 529

Ah, what a long and loitering way.......... VIII.... 2192

All 'at I ever want to be......................... VIII.... 2026

All day the sun and rain have been as friends III 687

All hope of rest withdrawn me..................... ........ VI 1579

All listlessly we float.................................. ........ II 512

All my feelin's in the Spring........................ ........ IV 977
*All seemed delighted, though the elders

more.................................................. VII.... 1781

All sudden she hath ceased to sing.............. ........ VI 1684

*All were quite gracious in their plaudits of VII 1796

INDEX OF FIRST LINES 2723

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Allus when our Pa he's away................. VIII..... 2142
Alone they walked—their fingers knit to‑

gether.................................................... ......... II 413

Always I see her in a saintly guise................ ........ VI 1616

Always suddenly they are gone..................... ......... V 1246

An afternoon as ripe with heat..................... ........ II 586

An alien wind that blew and blew............................ ....... 462
An empty glove—long withering in the

grasp..................................................... ....... III 743

An hour ago the lulling twilight leant........... ......... V 1214
An old sweetheart of mine!—Is this her

presence here with me............................ .......... I 90
And did you know our old friend Death is

dead...................................................... ........ II 447

And 0 shall one—high brother of the air........ .......... I 324
And there, in that ripe Summer night, once

more................................................. VII..... 1833

And this is the way the baby woke................ ........ IV 898
And where's the Land of Used-to-be, does

little baby wonder.................................... ....... III 748

And who hath known her—like as I............. ......... II 299

And you're the poet of this concern............... .......... I 191

Armazindy;—fambily name........................... ........ VI 1618

As a harvester, at dusk................................ ........ VI 1569

As a rosebud might, in dreams..................... ......... V 1192

As I sat smoking, alone, yesterday................ .......... I 23

As it's give' me to perceive............................ ........ VI 1507

" As love of native land," the old man said VII 1951

As one in sorrow looks upon................................... ....... 691

As tangible a form in History........................ ........ IX 2270
As the little white hearse went glimmering

by.......................................................... ........ IV 890

As though a gipsy maiden with dim look....... .......... I 143

As when in dreams we sometimes hear......... ......... II 423

At Billy Miller's Circus-Show VIII....... 2128

At first I laughed—for it was quite.................. ....... III 665

2724 INDEX OF FIRST LINES

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At Noey's house—when they arrived with

him................................................... VII 1746

Awake, he loved their voices........................ IV 879

Awf'lest boy in this-here town................ VIII 2041

*Ay, Dwainie!—My Dwainie.......................... II 327

Ay, thou varlet! Laugh away......................... IV 994

*Babe she's so always............................. VIII 2104

Baby's dying............................................... III 742

Back from a two-years' sentence................... V 1260
Bard of our Western world!—its prairies

wide....................................................... VI 1629

Barefooted boys scud up the street................ IV 943

Be-gorrie, aI wor sorry................................. IX 2267

Be it life, be it death, there is nearing........... III 635

Be our fortunes as they may......................... III 710
Bear with us, 0 Great Captain, if our

pride................................................. VII 1944

Because her eyes were far too deep............... I 254

Behine de hen-house, on my knees......... VII 1957

Behold, one faith endureth still................... VI 1451

Being his mother,—when he goes away. . VI 1543

Below, cool grasses: over us......................... IV 933

Best, I guess.............................................. VI 1669

Beyond the purple, hazy trees...................... III 584

Bleak January! Cold as fate.................... VIII 2207

Blossoms crimson, white, or blue................. IV 993

Bound and bordered in green-leaf..................... 2039

VIII

Bowed, midst a universal grief that makes VIII 1999

Breath of Morning—breath of May..................... 2191

VIII

Bud, come here to your uncle a spell............. V 1280

Burns sang of bonny Lesley.................... VII 1928

But yesterday I looked away......................... III 618

But yesterday! 0 blooms of May................ VII 1931

*Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz.................................. II 363

By her white bed I muse a little space........... VI 1546

INDEX OF FIRST LINES 2725

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" Cassander! 0 Cassander! "—her mother's voice seems cle'r

705 Cat-like he creeps along where ways are dim VII I

771

'Cause Herbert Graham's a' only child........... ....... VI 1602

Chant me a rhyme of Christmas............. III..... 685

Children—take 'em as they run.............. VIII... 2236

^l'Crestillomeem! Crestillomeem..................... ....... II 311

Christ used to be like you and me.......... VIII.... 2167

⁼Chuck's allus had de Hoodoos bad......... VIII..... 2204

Clarence, my boy-friend, hale and strong...... ....... IV 1035

Close the book and dim the light................. ....... VI 1566

Close the book, and leave the tale................ ...... III 714

Clouds above, as white as wool.................... ....... IV 953

'Come! come! come................................. VII..... 1784
Come listen, good people, while a story I

do tell.................................................... ....... II 386

Come, sing a hale Heigh-ho................... VII.... 1921

Coming, clean from the Maryland-end.. . . VII 1818

" Coon-dog Ness "—he allus went................ ....... VI 1512
Could I pour out the nectar the gods only

can........................................................ ........ V 1301

Crouched at the corner of the street............. ...... III 705

Crowd about me, little children................... ......... I 45
Curly Locks! Curly Locks! wilt thou be

mine...................................................... ....... IV 1138

Dah's Brudder Sims! Dast slam yo' Bible

shet....................................................... ...... III 704

Daintiest of Manicures............................... ....... IV 1031

Dainty Baby Austin.................................... ....... VI 1662

Dan O'Sullivan: It's your............................. ........ V 1290

Dan Wallingford, my jo Dan................... VII..... 1910
Dawn, noon and dewfall! Bluebird and

robin...................................................... ....... VI 156o

Dead! Dead! Dead....................................... ......... I 136

Dead, my lords and gentlemen.................... ........ V 1297

2726 INDEX OF FIRST LINES

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Dead! my wayward boy—my own.......................... ......... V 1340

Dead? this peerless man of men.................. ........ VI 1439

Dear Lord! kind Lord.................................. ...... III 648

Dear Lord, to Thee my knee is bent.............. ......... V 1194
Dear Mother Goose! most motherly and

dear....................................................... ...... III 736

Dear old friend of us all in need............. VII.... 1946
Deep, tender, firm and true, the Nation's

heart...................................................... .......... I 126

Dem good old days done past and gone.... III..... 758

Desperate, at last I stand............................ ........ II 480

Dexery-Tethery! down in the dike................ .......... I 202
*Dey wunce wuz er time which I gwinter

tell you 'bout it.................................. VIII...... 2200

Dimple-cheeked and rosy-lipped.................. ........ II 475

Dogs, I contend, is jes' about................. VIII...... 2222

Donn Piatt—of Mac-o-chee.......................... ........ IV 1023

Down in the night I hear them.............. III..... 605

Dreamer, say, will you dream for me............. .......... I 266

Ef you don't know Doc Sifers I'll jes' argy,

here and now..................................... VII..... 1857

Elizabeth! Elizabeth.................................... ........ VI 1490

Elsie Mingus lisps, she does................ VIII...... 2111

Ere I went mad...................................... III..... 576
*Erewhile, as Autumn, to King Arthur's

court...................................................... ........ II 397

Even as a child to whom sad neighbors speak VIII 2002

Ever and ever, on and on..................... VIII...... 2122

Fair girl, fond wife, and dear....................... ...... III 715
Far in the night, and yet no rest for him!

The pillow next his own.......................... ........ IV 1093

Father all bountiful, in mercy bear......... VIII.... 1982

" Father! " (so The Word) He cried................. ........ IV 1043

Fer any boy 'at's little as me......................... ........ VI 1666

INDEX OF FIRST LINES 2727

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Fer forty year and better you have been a

friend to me............................................ III 837

Fire! Fire! Ring and ring........................ VIII 2100

First and best of earthly joys.................. VIII 2232

First she come to our house.......................... V 1241

First the teacher called the roll..................... V 1384

Fling him amongst the cobbles of the street III 739

Fly away! thou heavenly one......................... VI 1497

*Fold me away in your arms, 0 night............. II 353

" Fold the little waxen hands "...................... I 214

Folks has be'n to town, and Sahry................. IV 1047

Folks in town, I reckon, thinks.................... V 1292
Folks up here at Rossville got up a Lectur'

Course.................................................... V 1186

For a hundred years the pulse of time............ I 271
For the sake of guilty conscience, and the

heart that ticks the time........................... I 204

For the Song's sake; even so......................... II 297
For three score years my wandering feet

have strayed............................................ II 390

For you, I could forget the gay....................... III 664

Friend of a wayward hour, you came.............. II 468

Friend of my earliest youth...................... VII 1954

Friends, my heart is half aweary................... I 49
From Delphi to Camden—little Hoosier

towns..................................................... IV 1028

Funeral Darkness, drear and desolate............ I 144

*Gae the mirkest night an' stan'.................... VI 1657

Get gone, thou most uncomfortable ghost ....... IV 1088

Get thee back neglected friends.................... V 1193

Gifted and loved and praised........................ V 1251

Giunts is the biggest mens they air............... VI 16o5

Give me the baby to hold, my dear................. IV 96!

Go away from me—do! I am tired of you. III 622

Go, Winter! Go thy ways! We want again VI 1560
x.-15

2728 INDEX OF FIRST LINES

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" God bless us every one!" prayed Tiny Tim. II 484

" Good-by, my friend ".................................. III 804

Good-by, Old Year........................................ III 693

Gracie wuz allus a careless tot................... VIII 2015
Grand Haven is in Michigan, and in posses‑

sion, too.................................................. V 1358

Granny's come to our house.......................... IV 1103

Guess 'at Billy hain't got back........................ IV 1039

Guiney-pigs is awful cute............................. V 1412

Ha! My dear! I'm back again........................... V 1341

Had a harelip—Joney had............................. IV x118

" Had, too "................................................. V 1296

Hail! Ho ..................................................... VI 1614

Hail to thee with all good cheer..................... VI 1583

Harsh-voiced it was, and shrill and high . . . III 594

Has she forgotten? On this very May.............. V 1202

" He bore the name of William Brown "........... III 671

He called her in from me and shut the door.... IV 956

He cometh in sweet sense to thee.................. V 1209

He faced his canvas (as a seer whose ken....... IV 1098

He had toiled away for a weary while............. II 437

He hears the whir of the battle-drum............. II 538

" He is my friend," I said.............................. IV 983

He is the morning's poet......................... VIII 2164

He kisses me! Ah, now, at last...................... II 546

He leaned against a lamp-post, lost................ III 752

He left me for a foreign land......................... II 479

He puts the poem by, to say.......................... III 677

He rests at last, as on the mother-breast.. VIII 2218

He said: " It is God's way "............................ IX 2249

He sailed o'er the weltery watery miles........... VI 1665

He seemed so strange to me, every way... ...... IV 984

" He shall sleep unscathed of thieves "........... IV 1128

He sings: and his song is heard............... VII 1917

" He smokes—and that's enough," says Ma...... IV 908

INDEX OF FIRST LINES 2729

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He was a Dreamer of the Days................ VII 1777
He was jes' a plain, ever'-day, all-round

kind of a jour.......................................... V 1221

He was warned aginst the womern....................