Living

When I Do Mock

by James Whitcomb Riley 1849–1916

From Armazindy (1894)

Living

When I do mock the blackness of the night
With my despair--outweep the very dews
And wash my wan cheeks stark of all delight,
Denying every counsel of dear use
In mine embittered state; with infinite
Perversity, mine eyes drink in no sight
Of pleasance that nor moon nor stars refuse
In silver largess and gold twinklings bright;--
I question me what mannered brain is mine
That it doth trick me of the very food
It panteth for--the very meat and wine
That yet should plump my starved soul with good
And comfortable plethora of ease,
That I might drowse away such rhymes as these.

MLA

Riley, James Whitcomb. “When I Do Mock.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/643/.

Chicago

Riley, James Whitcomb. “When I Do Mock.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/643/.

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