poetry response

Poetry Response: “A Barefoot Boy” by James Whitcomb Riley

This sonnet paints the image of a young boy and his delight in a lazy summer day spent rambling outside in nature. Riley utilizes an “abba” rhyme scheme. The first octave describes the appearance of the boy with his “dirty trousers” and “bare ankles grimy.” The depiction of the boy is messy, laid-back, and youthful. Riley describes, “[The] feverish stripes, hint vividly to me/ of woody pathways winding endlessly.” The line suggests the adventures of the boy wandering through the wilderness. This is a familiar image of a relaxed boy finding glee in the beauty of the summer and nature. The short, quick lines mimic the excited shouts and exclamations of an adolescent boy.

The sestet is used to shift from describing the appearance and disposition of the boy to depicting an event. Riley illustrates the way the boy leapt into the cold water and concealed his chill by yelling “warm.” His uncomfortable chill is overcome by his glee. The boy was “never with lack/ of joy.” Riley reveals his half envy at the “graceless barefoot and his track.” It seems that Riley covets the carefree innocence and unencumbered delight the boy experiences in his experience with nature. He ends with an unconventional portrayal of the boy’s stubbed toenail “knocked back/ like unto the clasp of an old pocketbook.” Riley captures nature’s enchantment and the way it can thrill carefree youth.