Death & Dying

A Life-Lesson

by James Whitcomb Riley 1849–1916

From Riley Child-Rhymes (1905)

Death & Dying

There! little girl; don't cry!
They have broken your doll, I know;
And your tea-set blue,
And your play-house, too,
Are things of the long ago;
But childish troubles will soon pass by.--
There! little girl; don't cry!

There! little girl; don't cry!
They have broken your slate, I know;
And the glad, wild ways
Of your school-girl days
Are things of the long ago;
But life and love will soon come by.--
There! little girl; don't cry!

There! little girl; don't cry!
They have broken your heart, I know;
And the rainbow gleams
Of your youthful dreams
Are things of the long ago;
But Heaven holds all for which you sigh.--
There! little girl; don't cry!

MLA

Riley, James Whitcomb. “A Life-Lesson.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/35/.

Chicago

Riley, James Whitcomb. “A Life-Lesson.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/35/.

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