Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DEAD JOKE AND THE FUNNY MAN, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DEAD JOKE AND THE FUNNY MAN, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Long years ago, a funny man
Last Line: Outright.
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Comedy; Death; Laughter; Dead, The


LONG years ago, a funny man,
Flushed with a strange delight,
Sat down and wrote a funny thing
All in the solemn night;
And as he wrote he clapped his hands
And laughed with all his might
For it was such a funny thing,
O such a very funny thing,
This wonderfully funny thing,
He
Laughed
Outright.

And so it was this funny man
Printed this funny thing --
Forgot it, too, nor ever thought
It worth remembering,
Till but a day or two ago.
(Ah! what may changes bring!)
He found this selfsame funny thing
In an exchange -- "O funny thing!"
He cried, "You dear old funny thing!"
And
Sobbed
Outright.





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