Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, LEONAINIE, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LEONAINIE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Leonainie - angels named her
Last Line: From me like a dream.
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Angels; Death - Children; God; Summer; Death - Babies


Leonainie -- Angels named her;
And they took the light
Of the laughing stars and framed her
In a smile of white;
And they made her hair of gloomy
Midnight, and her eyes of bloomy
Moonshine, and they brought her to me
In the solemn night. --

In a solemn night of summer,
When my heart of gloom
Blossomed up to greet the comer
Like a rose in bloom;
All forebodings that distressed me
I forgot as Joy caressed me --
(LYING Joy! that caught and pressed me
In the arms of doom!)

Only spake the little lisper
In the Angel-tongue;
Yet I, listening, heard her whisper, --
"Songs are only sung
Here below that they may grieve you --
Tales but told you to deceive you, --
So must Leonainie leave you
While her love is young."

Then God smiled and it was morning.
Matchless and supreme
Heaven's glory seemed adorning
Earth with its esteem:
Every heart but mine seemed gifted
With the voice of prayer, and lifted
Where my Leonainie drifted
From me like a dream.






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