Living

My Night

by James Whitcomb Riley 1849–1916

From The Old Soldier's Story (1915)

Living

Hush! hush! list, heart of mine, and hearken low!
You do not guess how tender is the Night,
And in what faintest murmurs of delight
Her deep, dim-throated utterances flow
Across the memories of long-ago!
Hark! do your senses catch the exquisite
Staccatos of a bird that dreams he sings?
Nay, then, you hear not rightly,--'tis a blur
Of misty love-notes, laughs and whisperings
The Night pours o'er the lips that fondle her,
And that faint breeze, filled with all fragrant sighs,--
That is her breath that quavers lover-wise--
O blessed sweetheart, with thy swart, sweet kiss,
Baptize me, drown me in black swirls of bliss!

MLA

Riley, James Whitcomb. “My Night.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/445/.

Chicago

Riley, James Whitcomb. “My Night.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/445/.

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