Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, WE TO SIGH INSTEAD OF SING, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

WE TO SIGH INSTEAD OF SING, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Rain and rain! And rain and
Last Line: This for our to-morrow!
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Rain; Sighs; Singing & Singers


"RAIN and rain! and rain and rain!"
Yesterday we muttered
Grimly as the grim refrain
That the thunders uttered:
All the heavens under cloud --
All the sunshine sleeping;
All the grasses limply bowed
With their weight of weeping.

Sigh and sigh! and sigh and sigh!
Never end of sighing;
Rain and rain for our reply --
Hopes half drowned and dying;
Peering through the window-pane,
Naught but endless raining --
Endless sighing, and, as vain,
Endlessly complaining.

Shine and shine! and shine and shine!
Ah! to-day the splendor! --
All this glory yours and mine --
God! but God is tender!
We to sigh instead of sing,
Yesterday, in sorrow,
While the Lord was fashioning
This for our To-morrow!





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