Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE DEAD JOKE AND THE FUNNY MAN by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

Poet Analysis

First Line: LONG YEARS AGO, A FUNNY MAN
Last Line: OUTRIGHT.
Subject(s): COMEDY; DEATH; LAUGHTER; DEAD, THE;

LONG years ago, a funny man,
Flushed with a strange delight,
Sat down and wrote a funny thing
All in the solemn night;
And as he wrote he clapped his hands
And laughed with all his might
For it was such a funny thing,
O such a very funny thing,
This wonderfully funny thing,
He
Laughed
Outright.

And so it was this funny man
Printed this funny thing --
Forgot it, too, nor ever thought
It worth remembering,
Till but a day or two ago.
(Ah! what may changes bring!)
He found this selfsame funny thing
In an exchange -- "O funny thing!"
He cried, "You dear old funny thing!"
And
Sobbed
Outright.



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