Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, UNKNOWN FRIENDS, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

UNKNOWN FRIENDS, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: O friends of mine, whose kindly
Last Line: She folds away her wings and swoons therein.
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Friendship; Rhyme


O FRIENDS of mine, whose kindly words come to me
Voiced only in lost lisps of ink and pen,
If I had power to tell the good you do me,
And how the blood you warm goes laughing through me,
My tongue would babble baby-talk again.

And I would toddle round the world to meet you --
Fall at your feet, and clamber to your knees
And with glad, happy hands would reach and greet you,
And twine my arms about you, and entreat you
For leave to weave a thousand rhymes like these --

A thousand rhymes enwrought of nought but presses
Of cherry-lip and apple-cheek and chin,
And pats of honeyed palms, and rare caresses,
And all the sweets of which as Fancy guesses
She folds away her wings and swoons therein.





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