
The poem describes a romantic encounter between two lovers at Broad Ripple, a location on the White River in Indiana. The scene is set at dusk, with the sun setting over the water. The speaker and his lover are alone, surrounded by nature's beauty. They share a tender moment, with the speaker expressing his love for her.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1883 · Genre: Poetry, Pastoral, Nature · 341 words
Ah, Luxury! Beyond the heat / And dust of town, with dangling feet, / Astride the rock below the dam, / In the cool shadows where the calm / Rests on the stream again, and all / Is silent save the waterfall, -- / bait my hook and cast my line, / And feel the best of life is mine.
No high ambition may I claim -- / angle not for lordly game / Of trout, or bass, or wary bream -- / black perch reaches the extreme / Of my desires; and "goggle-eyes" / Are not a thing that I despise; / A sunfish, or a "chub," or "cat" -- / A "silver-side" -- yea, even that!
At Broad Ripple. (Sweet-Knot and Galamus) is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1883 CE.
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Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Indiana · Rural Life · Nature · Imagery · Symbolism · Folklore · Mythology · Local Color · Regionalism