Little-Girl-Two-Little-Girls

I'm twins, I guess, 'cause my Ma say
    I'm two little girls. An' one o' me
    Is Good little girl; an' th'other 'n' she
    Is Bad little girl as she can be!
An' Ma say so, 'most ever' day.

An' she's the funniest Ma! 'Cause when
    My Doll won't mind, an' I ist cry,
    W'y, nen my Ma she sob an' sigh,
    An' say, "Dear Good little girl, good-bye! -
Bad little girl's comed here again!"

Last time 'at Ma act' thataway,
    I cried all to myse'f awhile
    Out on the steps, an' nen I smile,
    An' git my Doll all fix' in style,
An' go in where Ma's at, an' say:
    "Morning to you, Mommy dear!
    Where's that Bad little girl wuz here?
    Bad little girl's goned clean away,
    An' Good little girl's comed back to stay."

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

Plain Sermons

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

Proem (AKA "Afterwhiles")

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

September Dark.

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

In Bohemia.

James Whitcomb Riley, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

A Christmas Memory

Pa he bringed me here to stay
    'Til my Ma she's well. - An' nen
He's go' hitch up, Chris'mus-day,
    An' come take me back again
Wher' my Ma's at! Won't I be
Tickled when he comes fer me!

My Ma an' my A'nty they
    'Uz each-uvver's sisters. Pa -
A'nty telled me, th' other day, -
    He comed here an' married Ma....
A'nty said nen, "Go run play,
    I must work now!" ... An' I saw,
When she turn' her face away,
    She 'uz cryin'. - An' nen I
    'Tend-like I "run play" - an' cry.

This-here house o' A'nty's wher'
They 'uz borned - my Ma an' her! -
An' her Ma 'uz my Ma's Ma,
An' her Pa 'uz my Ma's Pa -


Ain't that funny? - An' they're dead:
An' this-here's "th' ole Homestead." -
An' my A'nty said, an' cried,

James Whitcomb Riley

The Twins.

    One 's the pictur' of his Pa,
    And the other of her Ma -
    Jes the bossest pair o' babies 'at a mortal ever saw!
    And we love 'em as the bees
    Loves the blossoms of the trees,
    A-ridin' and a-rompin' in the breeze!

    One's got her Mammy's eyes -
    Soft and blue as Apurl-skies -
    With the same sort of a smile, like - Yes,
                and mouth about her size, -
    Dimples, too, in cheek and chin,
    'At my lips jes wallers in,
    A-goin' to work, er gittin' home agin.

    And the other - Well, they say
    That he's got his Daddy's way
    O' bein' ruther soberfied, er ruther extry gay, -
    That he either cries his best,
    Er he laughs his howlin'est -
    Like all he lacked was butt...

James Whitcomb Riley

Little Orphant Annie

Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,
An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away,
An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,
An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;
An' all us other childern, 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,
An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you
    Ef you
    Don't
        Watch
        Out!

Onc't they was a little boy wouldn't say his prayers,
An' when he went to bed at night, away up stairs,
His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl,
An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wasn't there at all!
An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an'...

James Whitcomb Riley

Granny

Granny's come to our house,
And ho! My lawzy-daisy!
All the childern round the place
Is ist a-runnin' crazy!
Fetched a cake fer little Jake,
And fetched a pie fer Nanny,
And fetched a pear fer all the pack
That runs to kiss their Granny!

Lucy Ellen's in her lap,
And Wade and Silas Walker
Both's a ridin' on her foot,
And 'Pollos on the rocker;
And Marthy's twins, from Aunt Marinn's
And little Orphant Annie,
All's a-eatin' gingerbread
And giggle-un at Granny!

Tells us all the fairy tales
Ever thought er wundered -
And 'bundance o' other stories -
Bet she knows a hunderd!

Bob's the one fer "Whittington,"
And "Golden Locks" fer Fanny!
Hear 'em laugh and clap their hands,
Listenin' at Granny!

"Jack the...

James Whitcomb Riley

The Runaway Boy

Wunst I sassed my Pa, an' he
Won't stand that, an' punished me, -
Nen when he was gone that day,
I slipped out an' runned away.

I tooked all my copper-cents,
An' clumbed over our back fence
In the jimpson-weeds 'at growed
Ever'where all down the road.

Nen I got out there, an' nen
I runned some - an' runned again
When I met a man 'at led
A big cow 'at shooked her head.

I went down a long, long lane
Where was little pigs a-play'n';
An' a grea'-big pig went "Booh!"
An' jumped up, an' skeered me too.

Nen I scampered past, an' they
Was somebody hollered "Hey!"
An' I ist looked ever'where,
An' they was nobody there.

I Want to, but I'm 'fraid to try
To go back.... An' by-an'-by
Somepin' hurts my throa...

James Whitcomb Riley

Nothin' To Say

Nothin' to say, my daughter! Nothin' at all to say!
Gyrls that's in love, I've noticed, ginerly has their way!
Yer mother did, afore you, when her folks objected to me -
Yit here I am, and here you air; and yer mother - where is she?

You look lots like yer mother: Purty much same in size;
And about the same complected; and favor about the eyes:
Like her, too, about livin' here, - because she couldn't stay:
It'll 'most seem like you was dead - like her! - But I hain't got nothin' to say!

She left you her little Bible - writ yer name acrost the page -
And left her ear bobs fer you, ef ever you come of age.
I've allus kep' 'em and gyuarded 'em, but ef yer goin' away -
Nothin' to say, my daughter! Nothin' at all to say!

You don't rikollect her, I recko...

James Whitcomb Riley