Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LITTLE MANDY'S CHRISTMAS TREE by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

Poet Analysis

First Line: LITTLE MANDY AND HER MA
Last Line: BIGGER THAN THE OTHER TREE!
Subject(s): CHILDREN; CHRISTMAS TREES; POVERTY; TEACHING & TEACHERS; CHILDHOOD;
LITTLE Mandy and her Ma
'S porest folks you ever saw! --
Lived in porest house in town,
Where the fence 'uz all tore down.

And no front-door steps at all --
Ist a' old box 'g'inst the wall;
And no door-knob on the door
Outside. -- @3My!@1 but they 'uz pore!

Wuz no winder-shutters on,
And some of the @3winders@1 gone,
And where they 'uz broke they'd pas'e
Ist brown paper 'crost the place.

@3Tell@1 you! when it's @3winter there,@1
And the snow ist ever'where,
Little Mandy's Ma she say
'Spec' they'll freeze to death some day.

Wunst my Ma and me -- when we
Be'n to church, and's goin' to be
Chris'mus purty soon, -- we went
There -- like the Committee sent.

@3And-sir!@1 when we're in the door,
Wuz no carpet on the floor,
And no fire -- and heels-and-head
Little Mandy's tucked in bed!

And her Ma telled @3my@1 Ma she
Got no coffee but ist tea,
And fried mush -- and's all they had
Sence her health broke down so bad.

Nen Ma hug and hold me where
Little Mandy's layin' there;
And she kiss her, too, and nen
Mandy kiss my Ma again.

And my Ma she telled her @3we@1
Goin' to have a Chris'mus-Tree,
At the Sund'y-School, 'at's fer
ALL the childern, and fer @3her@1.

Little Mandy @3think@1 -- nen she
Say, "What @3is@1 a Chris'mus-Tree?"
Nen my Ma she give @3her@1 Ma
Somepin' 'at I never saw.

And say she @3must@1 take it, -- and
She ist maked her keep her hand
Wite close shut, -- and nen she @3kiss@1
Her hand -- shut ist like it is.

Nen we comed away. . . . And nen
When it's Chris'mus Eve again,
And all of us childerns be
At the Church and Chris'mus-Tree --

And all git toys and things
'At old Santy Claus he brings
And puts on the Tree; -- wite where
The @3big@1 Tree 'uz standin' there,

And the things 'uz all tooked down,
And the childerns, all in town,
Got their presents -- nen we see
They's a @3little@1 Chris'mus-Tree

Wite @3behind@1 the @3big@1 Tree -- so
We can't see till @3nen,@1 you know, --
And it's all ist loaded down
With the purtiest things in town!

And the teacher smile and say:
"This-here Tree 'at's hid away
It's marked @3'Little Mandy's Tree.'@1 --
Little Mandy! Where is she?"

Nen nobody say a word. --
Stillest place you ever heard! --
Till a man tiptoe up where
Teacher's still a-waitin' there.

Nen the man he whispers, so
Ist the @3Teacher@1 hears, you know.
Nen he tiptoe back and go
Out the big door -- ist so slow!

. . . . . . .

@3Little Mandy,@1 though, @3she@1 don't
Answer -- and Ma say "she won't
@3Never,@1 though each year they'll be
'Little Mandy's Chris'mus-Tree'

Fer pore childern" -- my Ma says --
And @3Committee@1 say they guess
"Little Mandy's Tree" 'ull be
Bigger than the @3other@1 Tree!



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