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Poem
May 16, 1893
The Yellowstone Journal
Miles City, Custer County, Montana
What is this article about?
A mother's fierce defense of her dead son against accusations of being bad and brutal, portraying him as God's sanctified gift and challenging the accusers' hypocrisy and judgment before divine verdict.
Clipping
OCR Quality
85%
Good
Full Text
A MOTHER'S DEFENSE.
Dead! my own! worthy - my own -
Not in the least bit mine - the good
God's gift to my son.
Sanctified by motherhood.
"Bad," you say? well, who is not?
"Brutal!" "with a heart of stone"
And I "red handed." Ah, the hot
Blood upon your own!
I come not with downward eyes
To plead for him shamefully:
God did not apologize
When he gave the boy to me.
Simply, I stand ready now
For his verdict, You prepare -
You have knelt us both - and how
Will you face us there?
-James Whitcomb Riley.
Dead! my own! worthy - my own -
Not in the least bit mine - the good
God's gift to my son.
Sanctified by motherhood.
"Bad," you say? well, who is not?
"Brutal!" "with a heart of stone"
And I "red handed." Ah, the hot
Blood upon your own!
I come not with downward eyes
To plead for him shamefully:
God did not apologize
When he gave the boy to me.
Simply, I stand ready now
For his verdict, You prepare -
You have knelt us both - and how
Will you face us there?
-James Whitcomb Riley.
What sub-type of article is it?
Elegy
What themes does it cover?
Death Mourning
Moral Virtue
Religious Faith
What keywords are associated?
Mothers Defense
Dead Son
Gods Gift
Accusations
Divine Judgment
Hypocrisy
What entities or persons were involved?
James Whitcomb Riley
Poem Details
Title
A Mother's Defense.
Author
James Whitcomb Riley
Subject
A Mother's Defense Of Her Son
Form / Style
Rhymed Quatrains
Key Lines
Dead! My Own! Worthy My Own
Not In The Least Bit Mine The Good
God's Gift To My Son.
God Did Not Apologize
When He Gave The Boy To Me.