Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


OLD MAN'S NURSERY RHYME by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

Poet Analysis

First Line: IN THE JOLLY WINTERS
Last Line: OH! NO! NO!
Subject(s): DEATH; SNOW; WINTER; DEAD, THE;

IN the jolly winters
Of the long-ago,
It was not so cold as now --
Oh! No! No!
Then, as I remember,
Snowballs to eat
Were as good as apples now,
And every bit as sweet!

In the jolly winters
Of the dead-and-gone,
Bub was warm as summer,
With his red mitts on, --
Just in his little waist-
And-pants all together,
Who ever heard him growl
About cold weather?

In the jolly winters
Of the long-ago --
Was it @3half@1 so cold as now?
Oh! No! No!
Who caught his death o' cold,
Making prints of men
Flat-backed in snow that now's
Twice as cold again?

In the jolly winters
Of the dead-and-gone,
Startin' out rabbit-huntin'
Early as the dawn, --
Who ever froze his fingers,
Ears, heels, or toes, --
Or'd 'a' cared if he had?
Nobody knows!

Nights by the kitchen stove,
Shellin' white and red
Corn in the skillet, and
Sleepin' four abed!
Ah! the jolly winters
Of the long-ago!
We were not as old as now --
Oh! No! No!



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