The Poet's Love for the Children
This poem explores a poet's deep affection and admiration for children. It highlights their innocence, curiosity, and joy, which the poet finds endearing and inspiring. The poem also touches on the idea that children are a source of creative inspiration for the poet, who sees them as a reflection of nature's beauty and simplicity.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1889 · Genre: Poetry, Children's Literature, Religious · 216 words
First lines
Kindly and warm and tender, / He nestled each childish palm / So close in his own that his touch was a prayer / And his speech a blessed psalm.
He has turned from the marvelous pages / Of many an alien tome -- / Haply come down from Olivet, / Or out from the gates of Rome --
Set sail o'er the seas between him / And each little beckoning hand / That fluttered about in the meadows / And groves of his native land, --
Fluttered and flashed on his vision / As, in the glimmering light / Of the orchard-lands of childhood, / The blossoms of pink and white.
What this Textopian page supports
The Poet's Love for the Children is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1889 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: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Children's Literature, Religious, Pastoral
- Length: 216 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Poet's Love for the Children by James Whitcomb Riley
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a focus on rhythm and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Children's Literature — The themes and language are centered around children, their innocence, and the poet's affection for them.
- Religious — References to biblical locations and figures, such as Olivet and Galilee, suggest a religious undertone.
- Pastoral — Imagery of meadows, groves, and orchard-lands evokes a pastoral setting, emphasizing nature and rural life.
Tags
Poetry · Children · Love · Nostalgia · Sentimental · Romanticism · American Literature · 19th Century · Verse · Rhyme · Imagery · Symbolism