The Passing Of A Heart

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



O touch me with your hands--
For pity's sake!
My brow throbs ever on with such an ache
As only your cool touch may take away;
And so, I pray
You, touch me with your hands!

Touch--touch me with your hands.--
Smooth back the hair
You once caressed, and kissed, and called so fair
That I did dream its gold would wear alway,
And lo, to-day--
O touch me with your hands!

Just touch me with your hands,
And let them press
My weary eyelids with the old caress,
And lull me till I sleep. Then go your way,
That Death may say:
He touched her with his hands.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

33 sec read
31

Quick analysis:

Scheme Abbcca addccA aeecca
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 540
Words 112
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6

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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