Marjorie's Knitting - Poem by Laura E. Richards

In the chimney-corner our Marjorie sits,
Softly singing the while she knits.
The fire-light, flickering here and there,
Plays on her face and her shining hair;

And glimmering bright in the fitful glow,
Backward and forward her needles go, -
Backward and forward, swift and true, -
And hark! the needles are singing too.

"One and two and three and four,
Counting and narrowing o'er and o'er;
Knit and rib and seam and purl.
Clickety clackety, good little girl!"

And what is our Marjorie knitting, I pray?
A soft, warm scarf, for a wintry day,
A pair of mittens for schoolboy Fred,
Or some reins for toddling Baby Ned?

I cannot see, in the twilight gray,
How many needles are working away;
But I see them flickering in and out,
And _they_ know exactly what they are about.

"One and two and three and four
Counting and narrowing o'er and o'er;
Knit and rib and seam and purl.
Clickety clackety, good little girl!"

The fire is whispering, "Marjorie mine,
'Tis a positive pleasure on you to shine,
From your pretty brown hair, all shining and neat,
Down to your dainty, trim-slippered feet."

The kettle is murmuring, "Marjorie dear,
'Tis all for your sake that I'm bubbling here;
But though I have bubbled both loud and long,
You've ears for nought save those needles' song."

"One and two and three and four,
Counting and narrowing o'er and o'er;
Knit and rib and seam and purl.
Clickety clackety, good little girl!"

Marjorie cheerily works away,
Nor ever her thoughts from her knitting stray.
Whatever it is, 'twill be sure to fit,
For loving thoughts in the web are knit.

The kettle may bubble, the fire may burn,
But Marjorie's thoughts they cannot turn;
And I think my heart must be working too,
For it seems to sing as the needles do.

"One and two and three and four,
Counting and narrowing o'er and o'er;
Knit and rib and seam and purl.
Clickety clackety, dear little girl!"