Little Dick And The Clock

When Dicky was sick
    In the night, and the clock,
As he listened, said "Tick-
    Atty - tick-atty - tock!"
He said that it said,
    Every time it said "Tick,"
It said "Sick," instead,
    And he heard it say "Sick!"
And when it said "Tick-
    Atty - tick-atty - tock,"
He said it said "Sick-
    Atty - sick-atty - sock!"
And he tried to see then,
    But the light was too dim,
Yet he heard it again -
    And't was talking to him!

And then it said "Sick-
    Atty - sick-atty - sick
You poor little Dick-
    Atty - Dick-atty - dock!
Have you got the hick-
    Atties? Hi! send for Doc
To hurry up quick
    Atty - quick-atty - quock,
And heat a hot brick-
    Atty - brick-atty - brock,



And rikle-ty wrap it
And clickle-ty clap it
    Against his cold feet-
    Al-ty - weep-aty - eepaty -
There he goes, slapit-
    Ty - slippaty - sleepaty!"

James Whitcomb Riley

James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. He was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and the "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and children's poetry respectively. Over his career, Riley authored approximately 1,000 poems, including "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man". His influence extended into the 20th century, and his works continued to be celebrated for their nostalgic and rural themes.

James Whitcomb Riley

Extremes

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

A Session With Uncle Sidney - IV - And Makes Nursery Rhymes - 5 The Daring Prince

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

The Boy Lives On Our Farm

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

A Very Youthful Affair

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

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Hickory Dickory Dock.

Tick-Tack! tick-tack!
This way, that way, forward, back,
Swings the pendulum to and fro,
Always regular, always slow.
Grave and solemn on the wall,--
Hear it whisper! hear it call!
Little Ginx knows naught of Time,
But has heard the mystic rhyme,--
"Hickory, dickory, dock!
The mouse ran up the clock!"

Tick-tack! tick-tack!
White old face with figures black!
So when dismal, stormy days
Keep him from his out-door plays,
Most that he cares for is to sit
Watching, always watching it.
And when the hour strikes he thinks,--
(A dear, wise head has the little Ginx!)
"The clock strikes one,
The mice ran down!"

Tick-tack! tick-tack!
This way, that way, forward, back!
Though so measured and precise,
Ginx believes it full of ...

Clara Doty Bates

Dickory Dock

Hickory, dickory dock!
The mouse ran up the clock;
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory dock!

Walter Crane

Hik-Tee-Dik! - The War-Cry Of Billy And Buddy

When two little boys - renowned but for noise -
    Hik-tee-dik! Billy and Buddy! -
May hurt a whole school, and the head it employs,
    Hik-tee-dik! Billy and Buddy!
Such loud and hilarious pupils indeed
Need learning - and yet something further they need,
Though fond hearts that love them may sorrow and bleed.
    Hik-tee-dik! Billy and Buddy!

O the schoolmarm was cool, and in no wise a fool;
    Hik-tee-dik! Billy and Buddy!
And in ruling her ranks it was her rule to rule;
    Hik-tee-dik! Billy and Buddy!
So when these two pupils conspired, every day,
Some mad piece of mischief, with whoop and hoo-ray,
That hurt yet defied her, - how happy were they! -
    Hik-tee-dik! Billy and Buddy!

At the ring of the bell they 'd rush in with...

James Whitcomb Riley

Down On Wriggle Crick

"Best time to kill a hog's when he's fat." - Old Saw.

Mostly folks is law-abidin'
Down on Wriggle Crick,
Seein' they's no Squire residin'
In our bailywick;
No grand juries, no suppeenies,
Ner no vested rights to pick
Out yer man, jerk up and jail ef
He's outragin' Wriggle Crick!


Wriggle Crick hain't got no lawin',
Ner no suits to beat;
Ner no court-house gee-and-hawin'
Like a County-seat;
Hain't no waitin' round fer verdick,
Ner non-gittin' witness-fees;
Ner no thiefs 'at gits "new heain's,"
By some lawyer slick as grease!

Wriggle Cricks's leadin' spirit
Is old Johnts Culwell,
Keeps post-office, and right near it
Owns what's called "The Grand Hotel"
(Warehouse now - ) buys wheat and ships it;
Gits out ties,...

James Whitcomb Riley

Kitchen Clock, The

Knitting is the maid o' the kitchen, Milly,
Doing nothing sits the chore boy, Billy:
"Seconds reckoned,
Seconds reckoned;
Every minute,
Sixty in it.
Milly, Billy,
Billy, Milly,
Tick-tock, tock-tick,
Nick-knock, knock-nick,
Knockety-nick, nickety-knock,"
Goes the kitchen clock.

Closer to the fire is rosy Milly,
Every whit as close and cosy, Billy:
"Time's a-flying,
Worth your trying;
Pretty Milly,
Kiss her, Billy!
Milly, Billy,
Billy, Milly,
Tick-tock, tock-tick,
Now, now, quick, quick!
Knockety-nick, nickety-knock,"
        Goes the kitchen clock.

Something's happened, very red is Milly,
Billy boy is looking very silly;
"Pretty misses,
Plenty kisses;
Make it twenty,
Take a plenty.

John Vance Cheney

Little Jack Janitor

And there, in that ripe Summer-night, once more
A wintry coolness through the open door
And window seemed to touch each glowing face
Refreshingly; and, for a fleeting space,
The quickened fancy, through the fragrant air,
Saw snowflakes whirling where the roseleaves were,
And sounds of veriest jingling bells again
Were heard in tinkling spoons and glasses then.

Thus Uncle Mart's old poem sounded young
And crisp and fresh and clear as when first sung,
Away back in the wakening of Spring
When his rhyme and the robin, chorusing,
Rumored, in duo-fanfare, of the soon
Invading johnny-jump-ups, with platoon
On platoon of sweet-williams, marshaled fine
To blooméd blarings of the trumpet-vine.

The poet turned to whisperingly confer
A moment with "The No...

James Whitcomb Riley