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 Beautiful City! O mortal, / Fare hopefully on in thy quest, / Pass down through the green grassy portal / That leads to the Valley of Rest; James Whitcomb Riley
...while you gasp and pant / And try to cool yourself—and can't— / With soda, cream and lemonade, / The heat at ninety in the shade,— / Just calmly sit and ponder o'er / These same degrees, with ninety more / On top of them, and so concede / The weather now is cool indeed! James Whitcomb Riley
And so it seems like welcoming a friend-- / An old, old friend, upon his coming home / From some far country--coming home to spend / Long, loitering days with me. James Whitcomb Riley
A monument for the Soldiers! / And what will ye build it of? / Can ye build it of marble, or brass, or bronze, / Outlasting the Soldiers' love? / Can ye glorify it with legends / As grand as their blood hath writ / From the inmost shrine of this land of thine / To the outermost verge of it? James Whitcomb Riley
Herein are blown from out the South / Songs blithe as those of Pan's pursed mouth-- / As sweet in voice as, in perfume, / The night-breath of magnolia-bloom. James Whitcomb Riley
That we, who see by sense of touch / And taste and hearing, see things you / May never look upon; and true / Is it that even in the scent / Of blossoms we find something meant / No eyes have in their faces read, / Or wept to see interpreted. James Whitcomb Riley
And you might think it strange if now / I told you you were smiling. How / Do I know that? I hold your hand-- / Its language I can understand-- James Whitcomb Riley
O the drum! / There is some / Intonation in thy grum / Monotony of utterance that strikes the spirit dumb, / As we hear / Through the clear / And unclouded atmosphere, / Thy palpitating syllables roll in upon the ear! James Whitcomb Riley
Ring out the shame and sorrow / And the misery and sin / That the dawning of the morrow / May in peace be ushered in. James Whitcomb Riley
Where are they?--the friends of my childhood enchanted-- / The clear, laughing eyes looking back in my own, / And the warm, chubby fingers my palms have so wanted, / As when we raced over / Pink pastures of clover, / And mocked the quail's whir and the bumblebee's drone? / Have the breezes of time blown their blossomy faces / Forever adrift down the years that are flown? / Am I never to see them romp back to their places, / Where over the meadow, / In sunshine and shadow, / The meadow-larks trill, and the bumblebees drone? James Whitcomb Riley
The laziest of all days— / To get up any time— or sleep—/ Or just lay around and watch the haze / A dancin' cross the wheat and keep / My pipe a-govern leisurely. James Whitcomb Riley
Midst of wealth of facts and fancies / That our memories 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