Polly's Year - Poem by Laura E. Richards

JANUARY 1.

Come sit on my knee and tell me here,
Polly, my dear, Polly, my dear,
What do you mean to do this year?

I mean to be good the whole year long,
And never do anything careless or wrong;
I mean to learn all my lessons right,
And do my sums, if I sit up all night.
I mean to keep all my frocks so clean,
Nurse never will say I'm "not fit to be seen."
I mean not to break even one of my toys,
And I never, oh! _never_ will make any noise.
In short, Uncle Ned, as you'll very soon see,
The best little girl in the world I shall be.

DECEMBER 31.

Come sit on my knee and let me hear,
Polly, my dear, Polly, my dear,
What you have done in the course of the year.

Oh dear! Uncle Ned, oh dear! and oh dear!
I'm afraid it has _not_ been a very good year.
For somehow my sums _would_ come out wrong,
And somehow my frocks wouldn't stay clean long.
And somehow I've often been dreadfully cross,
And somehow I broke my new rocking-horse.
And somehow Nurse says I have made such a noise,
I might just as well have been one of the boys.
In short, Uncle Ned, I very much fear
You must wait for my goodness another year.