An Impromptu on Roller Skates
The poem is a nostalgic and humorous tribute to the joys of childhood. It describes a carefree summer day spent roller skating with friends, evoking memories of innocence and simplicity. The speaker's enthusiasm for the activity is infectious, capturing the thrill of youth and the freedom of movement.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1883 · Genre: Poetry, Humor, Satire · 157 words
First lines
Rumble, tumble, growl, and grate! / Skip, and trip, and gravitate! / Lunge, and plunge, and thrash the planks / With your blameless, shameless shanks: / In excruciating pain, / Stand upon your head again, / And, uncoiling kink by kink, / Kick the roof out of the rink!
In derisive bursts of mirth, / Drop ka-whop and jar the earth! / Jolt your lungs down in your socks, / Oh! tempestuous equinox / Of dismembered legs and arms! / Strew your ways with wild alarms; / Fameward skoot and ricochet / On your glittering vertebrae!
What this Textopian page supports
An Impromptu on Roller Skates 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, Humor, Satire, Adventure
- Length: 157 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for An Impromptu on Roller Skates by James Whitcomb Riley
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Humor — The playful and exaggerated depiction of roller skating mishaps suggests a humorous tone.
- Satire — The exaggerated and absurd imagery may serve as a satirical commentary on the activity of roller skating.
- Adventure — The dynamic and energetic language conveys a sense of adventure and physical activity.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Humor · Satire · Whimsy · Imagery · Symbolism · Nature · Childhood · Nostalgia · Playfulness