James Whitcomb Riley Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old James Whitcomb Riley quotes, James Whitcomb Riley sayings, and James Whitcomb Riley proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.'

The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. James Whitcomb Riley
The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. James Whitcomb Riley
The most essential factor is persistence—the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. James Whitcomb Riley
The ripest peach is highest on the tree — And so her love, beyond the reach of me James Whitcomb Riley
The jelly, the jam and the marmalade, and the cherry and quince preserves she made. And the sweet-sour pickles of peach and pear, with cinnamon in 'em, and all things rare. And the more we ate was the more to spare. James Whitcomb Riley
Over the eyes of gladness / The lids of sorrow fall, / And the light of mirth is darkened / Under the funeral pall. James Whitcomb Riley
As one in sorrow looks upon / The dead face of a loyal friend, / By the dim light of New Year's dawn / I saw the Old Year end. James Whitcomb Riley
Ah! how sweet to seem, love, / Drugged and half aswoon / With this luscious dream, love, / In the heart of June. James Whitcomb Riley
Tell you what I like the best -- / 'Long about knee-deep in June, / 'Bout the time strawberries melts / On the vine, -- some afternoon / Like to jes' git out and rest, / And not work at nothin' else! James Whitcomb Riley
The priceless worth of the flower that knows No change, but a bloom divine / The bloom of a fadeless constancy / That hides in the leaves in wait for me. James Whitcomb Riley
I dream to-day, o'er a purple stain Of bloom on a withered stalk / Pelted down by the autumn rain / In the dust of the garden-walk, That an Angel-rose in the world to be Will hide in the leaves in wait for me. James Whitcomb Riley
When first I loved, in the long ago, / And held your hand as I told you so-- / Pressed and caressed it and gave it a kiss / And said 'I could die for a hand like this! James Whitcomb Riley
Midst of wealth of facts and fancies / That our memory may recall / Thus the old-school day romances / Are the dearest after all! / When some sweet thought revises / The half-forgotten tune / That opened 'exercises' / On 'Friday afternoon.' James Whitcomb Riley
Singing southward-flying birds down to us, and afterward. Singing them to flight again; Singing blushes to the cheeks. James Whitcomb Riley
All us other children, when the supper-things is done / We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun / A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about, James Whitcomb Riley
One naked star has waded through the purple shallows of the night, and faltering as falls the dew it drips its misty light. James Whitcomb Riley
A grief that kept her ever brooding yet / And wholly melancholy and depressed, — / Nor yet could she find sleep by night nor rest / By day, for thinking — thinking — thinking still James Whitcomb Riley
Midst the wealth of facts and fancies / That our memory may recall, / Thus the old school-day romances / Are the dearest of all!— / When some sweet thought revises / The half forgotten tune / That opened 'Exercises,' / On 'Friday afternoon.' James Whitcomb Riley
First she come to our house, / Tommy run and hid; / And Emily and Bob and me / We cried jus' like we did / When Mother died,--and we all said / 'At we all wisht 'at we was dead! / And Nurse she couldn't stop us, / And Pa he tried and tried,-- / We sobbed and shook and wouldn't look, / But only cried and cried; / And nen someone--we couldn't jus' / Tell who--was cryin' same as us! / Our Stepmother! Yes, it was her, / Her arms around us all-- / 'Cause Tom slid down the bannister / And peeked in from the hall.-- / And we all love her, too, because / She's purt nigh good as Mother was! James Whitcomb Riley
Twas a Funny Little Fellow of the very purest type, for he had a heart as mellow, as an apple over ripe. James Whitcomb Riley
We must get home — for we have been away / So long it seems forever and a day! / And O so very homesick we have grown, / The laughter of the world is like a moan / In our tired hearing, and its songs as vain, — / We must get home — we must get home again! James Whitcomb Riley
Sing! peacock on the orchard wall, Or tree-toad by the trickling spring! Sing! every bird on every bough-- James Whitcomb Riley
My good night, his cheeks' all wet An' taste salty.--An' he held Wite close to me an' rocked some James Whitcomb Riley
The ripest peach is highest on the tree -- / And so her love, beyond the reach of me, / Is dearest in my sight. Sweet breezes, bow / Her heart down to me where I worship now! James Whitcomb Riley
His face with freckles,--and his ears, how quick And curious and intrusive!--And how pale The blue of his big eyes;--and how a tale Of Giants, Trolls or Fairies, bulged them still James Whitcomb Riley
But, Blossoms On The Trees, / With your breath upon the breeze / There's nothing all the world around / As half as sweet as you! James Whitcomb Riley
The master-hand whose pencils trace / This wondrous landscape of the morn / Is but the sun, whose glowing face. James Whitcomb Riley
Spangled with the shine and shade / I see the rivers raveled out / In strands of silver, slowly fade / In threads of light along the glade. James Whitcomb Riley
Over all the waking earth / The tears of night are brushed away / And eyes are lit with love and mirth / And benisons of richest worth Go up to bless the new-born day. James Whitcomb Riley
The Beautiful City! Forever / Its rapturous praises resound; / We fain would behold it — but never / A glimpse of its dory is found: James Whitcomb Riley