Living

Uncle Brightens Up

by James Whitcomb Riley 1849–1916

From The Book of Joyous Children (1902)

Living

Uncle he says 'at 'way down in the sea
Ever'thing's ist like it used to be:--
He says they's mermaids, an' mermens, too,
An' little merchildern, like me an' you--
Little merboys, with tops an' balls,
An' little mergirls, with little merdolls.

Uncle Sidney's vurry proud
Of little Leslie-Janey,
'Cause she's so smart, an' goes to school
Clean 'way in Pennsylvany!

She print' an' sent a postul-card
To Uncle Sidney, telling
How glad he'll be to hear that she
"Toock the onners in Speling."

Uncle he learns us to rhyme an' write
An' all be poets an' all recite:
His little-est poet's his little-est niece,
An' this is her little-est poetry-piece.

MLA

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Uncle Brightens Up.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/339/.

Chicago

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Uncle Brightens Up.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/339/.

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