May I Not Weep With You

James Whitcomb Riley 1849 (Greenfield) – 1916 (Indianapolis)



Let me come in where you sit weeping—aye,
Let me, who have not any child to die,
Weep with you for the little one whose love
I have known nothing of.

The little arms that slowly, slowly loosed
Then- pressure round your neck—the hands you vised
To kiss—such arms—such hands—I never knew,
May I not weep with you?

Fain would I be of service—say something
Between the tears, that would be comforting,
But Oh! so sadder than yourself am I,
Who have not any child to die!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 13, 2023

26 sec read
342

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABB CCDD EEAA
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 475
Words 89
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4

James Whitcomb Riley

James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and his children's poetry respectively. more…

All James Whitcomb Riley poems | James Whitcomb Riley Books

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    "May I Not Weep With You" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/20965/may-i-not-weep-with-you>.

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