Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MAD, MAD MUSE, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The rhyme o' the raggedy man's 'at's best Last Line: Tickle me, love, in me lonesome ribs! Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Variant Title(s): The Lugubrious Whing-whang Subject(s): Fantasy; Swinburne, Algernon Charles (1837-1909) | ||||||||
THE rhyme o' The Raggedy Man's 'at's best Is Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs, 'Cause that-un's the strangest of all o' the rest, An' the worst to learn, an' the last one guessed, An' the funniest one, an' the foolishest. -- Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! I don't know what in the world it means -- Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! -- An' nen when I tell him I don't, he leans Like he was a-grindin' on some machines An' says: Ef I don't, w'y, I don't know beans! Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Out on the margin of Moonshine Land, Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Out where the Whing-Whang loves to stand, Writing his name with his tail in the sand, And swiping it out with his oogerish hand; Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Is it the gibber of Gungs or Keeks? Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Or what is the sound that the Whing-Whang seeks? -- Crouching low by the winding creeks, And holding his breath for weeks and weeks! Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! Aroint him the wraithest of wraithly things! Tickle me, Love, in these Lonesome Ribs! 'Tis a fair Whing-Whangess, with phosphor rings, And bridal-jewels of fangs and stings; And she sits and as sadly and softly sings As the mildewed whir of her own dead wings, -- Tickle me, Dear, Tickle me here, Tickle me, Love, in me Lonesome Ribs! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON THE DEATH OF SWINBURNE by SARA TEASDALE HOME, SWEET HOME WITH VARIATIONS: 2. ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE by HENRY CUYLER BUNNER ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE by JOSEPH SEAMON COTTER SR. TO EDMUND GOSSE, WITH A FIRST EDITION OF ATALANTA IN CALYDON by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON DOLLARES; OUR LADY OF THE WHEAT-CORNER (AFTER A.C.S.) by PHILIP GUEDALLA A SINGER ASLEEP by THOMAS HARDY PERSONAL SONNET: TO ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE OCTOPUS by ARTHUR CLEMENT HILTON FELO DE SE; WITH APOLOGIES TO SWINBURNE by AMY LEVY A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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