To my Old Friend, William Leachman
The poem is a nostalgic tribute to a friend who has moved away. It expresses the speaker's longing for their friend and the passing of time that has separated them. The poem also touches on themes of friendship, loss, and the bittersweet nature of nostalgia.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1888 · Genre: Poetry, Friendship, Nostalgia · 964 words
First lines
Fer forty year and better you have been a friend to me, Through days of sore afflictions and dire adversity, You allus had a kind word of counsul to impart, Which was like a healin' 'intment to the sorrow of my hart.
When I burried my first womern, William Leachman, it was you Had the only consolation that I could listen to -- Fer I knowed you had gone through it and had rallied from the blow, And when you said I'd do the same, I knowed you'd ort to know.
What this Textopian page supports
To my Old Friend, William Leachman is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1888 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: 1888 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Friendship, Nostalgia, Grief, Historical
- Length: 964 words
- Structure: 1 section, 17 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for To my Old Friend, William Leachman by James Whitcomb Riley
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering To my Old Friend, William Leachman?
- How does this poem by James Whitcomb Riley fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Luther Benson After Reading His Autobiography by James Whitcomb Riley
- A Man Of Many Parts by James Whitcomb Riley
- When We First Played Show by James Whitcomb Riley
- James B Maynard by James Whitcomb Riley
- My Old Friend by James Whitcomb Riley
- The Old Band by James Whitcomb Riley
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Friendship — The central theme revolves around the enduring friendship between the narrator and William Leachman.
- Nostalgia — The narrative reflects on past experiences and memories shared between the friends, evoking a sense of nostalgia.
- Grief — The poem addresses themes of loss and consolation, particularly in the context of the narrator's bereavement.
Tags
Poem · Friendship · Nostalgia · Sentimental · Autobiographical · Memoir · Epistolary · Literary · American · 19th Century · Indiana · Midwestern