The Katydids
James Whitcomb Riley 1849 (Greenfield) – 1916 (Indianapolis)
Sometimes I keep
From going to sleep,
To hear the katydids 'cheep-cheep!'
And think they say
Their prayers that way;
But _katydids_ don't have to _pray_!
I listen when
They cheep again
And so, I think, they're _singing_ then!
But, no; I'm wrong,--
The sound's too long
And all-alike to be a song!
I think, 'Well, there!
I do declare,
If it is neither song nor prayer,
It's _talk_--and quite
Too vain and light
For me to listen to all night!'
And so, I smile,
And think,--'Now I'll
Not listen for a little while!'--
Then, sweet and clear,
Next '_cheep_' I hear
'S a _kiss_.... Good morning, Mommy dear!
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 36 sec read
- 101 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | AAABBC DDDEEE CCCFFF GGGCCC |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 586 |
Words | 116 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6, 6, 6 |
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"The Katydids" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 1 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/21069/the-katydids>.
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