The Little Town O' Tailholt

By James Whitcomb Riley

    You kin boast about yer cities, and their stiddy growth and size,     And brag about yer County-seats, and business enterprise,     And railroads, and factories, and all sich foolery -     But the little Town o' Tailholt is big enough fer me!     You kin harp about yer churches, with their steeples in the clouds,     And gas about yer graded streets, and blow about yer crowds;     You kin talk about yer "theaters," and all you've got to see -     But the little Town o' Tailholt is show enough fer me!     They hain't no style in our town - hit's little-like and small -     They hain't no "churches," nuther, jes' the meetin' house is all;     They's no sidewalks, to speak of - but the highway's allus free,     And the little Town o' Tailholt is wide enough fer me!     Some find it discommodin'-like, I'm willin' to admit,     To hev but one post-office, and a womern keepin' hit,     And the drug-store, and shoe-shop, and grocery, all three -     But the little Town o' Tailholt is handy 'nough fer me!     You kin smile and turn yer nose up, and joke and hev yer fun,     And laugh and holler "Tail-holts is better holts'n none!     Ef the city suits you better w'y, hit's where you'd ort'o be -     But the little Town o' Tailholt's good enough fer me!

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a celebration of rural simplicity, rejecting the trappings of urban sophistication. The speaker's voice is informal and folksy, with a distinctive regional dialect that adds to the poem's rustic charm. The structure is primarily free verse, with irregular line lengths and stanza patterns that mirror the natural rhythms of speech. The rhyme scheme is minimal, with only a few instances of internal rhyme and assonance that add to the poem's musicality. The imagery is vivid and down-to-earth, with the speaker describing the town's humble features, such as the meeting house, the highway, and the one post office. The tone shifts from playful to assertive, as the speaker defends the town against the perceived superiority of the city. The poem's structural turn comes in the final stanza, where the speaker's confidence and defiance become more pronounced. The use of alliteration and consonance in lines like Ef the city suits you better w'y adds to the sense of urgency and finality. The poem's final observation is that the speaker's Tail-holts is better holts'n none, a declaration that underscores the speaker's commitment to their rural way of life.

Understanding Limerick

A limerick is a five-line poem known for its jaunty rhythm, playful tone, and a punchline twist. It’s built for humor—often sly, sometimes downright silly.


Common characteristics of limericks:

  • Five Lines & Rhyme: The standard scheme is AABBA—the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme; the shorter third and fourth lines rhyme with each other.
  • Bouncy Meter: Typically anapestic (two short, one long beat). Lines 1, 2, and 5 are longer; lines 3 and 4 are shorter.
  • Tone & Humor: Lighthearted, mischievous, and built around a final gag or reversal.
  • Subject & Setup: Often starts with “There once was a … from …,” setting place and character before the comic turn.
  • Sound Play: Internal rhyme, alliteration, and rhythmic snap heighten the joke’s delivery.

The best limericks land like a good toast: quick, musical, and clinched by a memorable last line.