A Summer's Day
The poem describes a serene summer day with warm sunshine and gentle breeze. It portrays the idyllic scene of children playing outside, laughing and carefree. The speaker reflects on the fleeting nature of childhood innocence and the passing of time. The poem's tone is nostalgic and melancholic, evoking a sense of wistfulness for lost youth.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1883 · Genre: Poetry, Pastoral, Nostalgia · 693 words
First lines
The Summer's put the idy in My head that I'm a boy again; And all around's so bright and gay I want to put my team away, And jest git out whare I can lay And soak my hide full of the day! But work is work, and must be done -- Yit, as I work, I have my fun, Jest fancyin' these furries here Is childhood's paths onc't more so dear: -- And as I walk through medder-lands, And country lanes, and swampy trails Whare long bullrushes bresh my hands; And, tilted on the ridered rails Of deadnin' fences, "Old Bob White" Whissels his name in high delight, And whirrs away. I wunder still, Whichever way a boy's feet will -- Whare trees has fell, with tangled tops Whare dead leaves shakes, I stop fer breth, Heerin' the acorn as it drops -- H'istin' my chin up still as deth, And watchin' clos't, with upturned eyes, The tree where Mr. Squirrel tries To hide hisse'f above the limb, But lets his own tale tell on him.
What this Textopian page supports
A Summer's Day is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1883 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: James Whitcomb Riley
- Date: 1883 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Pastoral, Nostalgia, Realism
- Length: 693 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Pastoral — The themes and imagery focus on rural life, nature, and the countryside, typical of pastoral literature.
- Nostalgia — The narrative reflects on childhood memories and a longing for the past, central to nostalgic themes.
- Realism — The depiction of everyday life and work, along with detailed descriptions of the natural environment, aligns with realist literature.
Tags
Poem · Summer · Nature · Seasonal · Mood · Atmosphere · Sensory · Imagery · Descriptive · Lyric · Free Verse · American Literature