To my Sister. a Belated Offering for her Birthda
The poem is a sentimental and nostalgic tribute to the speaker's sister, expressing regret for missing her birthday celebration. The speaker acknowledges their tardiness and offers belated gifts, symbolizing their love and appreciation for their sibling. The tone is one of affectionate apology and gentle humor.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1888 · Genre: Poetry, Humor, Occasional · 156 words
First lines
These books you find three weeks behind / Your honored anniversary / Make me, I fear, to here appear / Mayhap a trifle cursory. -- / Yet while the Muse must thus refuse / The chords that fall caressfully, / She seems to stir the publisher / And dealer quite successfully.
As to our _birthdays_ -- let 'em run / Until they whir and whiz! / Read Robert Louis Stevenson, / And hum these lines of his: -- / "The eternal dawn, beyond a doubt, / Shall break on hill and plain / And put all stars and candles out / Ere we be young again. "
What this Textopian page supports
To my Sister. a Belated Offering for her Birthday 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, Humor, Occasional, Literary
- Length: 156 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for To my Sister. a Belated Offering for her Birthday 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
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Similar titles
- My Old Friend by James Whitcomb Riley
- To Lesley by James Whitcomb Riley
- To My Mother by Edgar Allan Poe
- Lines Written In Recapitulation by Edna St Vincent Millay
- The Poets Proposal by Oliver Herford
- A Mothers Birthday Songs Of Hearth And Altar by Henry Van Dyke
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Humor — The tone is light-hearted and playful, with a humorous take on the belatedness of the gift.
- Occasional — The poem is written for a specific occasion, namely a birthday, which is a hallmark of occasional poetry.
- Literary — The reference to Robert Louis Stevenson and the use of literary devices indicate a literary quality.
Tags
Poetry · Birthday · Sisterly Love · Family · Sentimental · Nostalgic · Heartfelt · Emotional · Literary · Classic · American Literature · 19th Century