The little ones will gather round, And play, and sit upon my knee, And then will run, and hop and bound, And chirp and twitter full of glee. And first there comes the little Posie, At roguish nine or more; And then there comes the little Cosie, Just prattling into four; And next @3la petite enfante@1 Josie, So shy, and now but seven; And last, the smiling little Rosie, Just blushing into 'leven. But stay -- here comes the little Lillie, Now five and full of tricks; And with her also little Tillie, At restless number six; And then the laughing little Fillie, Now eight and on the run; And last the sprightly little Millie, Now ten and full of fun. The innocents, how sweet they are! How free from guile, how free from care! But what their future? Who can tell? Seek not to know; 't will all be well. Let kindness ever hold the sway, And not the hardening rod; Teach them to walk in virtue's way, And put their trust in God. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JEWISH LULLABY by LOUIS UNTERMEYER A DAY DREAM by EMILY JANE BRONTE CARN A-TURNEN YOLLER by WILLIAM BARNES THE SECOND COVENANT by WILLIAM ROSE BENET CLEVEDON VERSES: 2. DORA by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN LYNTON VERSES: 4. LYNTON TO PORLOCK (EXMOOR) by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN |