4th of July

A fourth of July Record

1 was a wide-awake little boy who rose with the break of day;

2 were the minutes he took to dress- then he was offf and away.

3 were his leaps when he cleared the stairs, although they were steep and high;

4 was the number which caused his haste, because it was Fourth of July!

5 were his pennies which went to buy a package of crackers red;

6 were the matches which touched them off and then - he was back in bed.

7 big plasters he had to wear to cure his fractures sore;

8 were the visits the doctor made, before he was whole one more.

9 were the dolorus days he spent in sorrow and pain; but then,

0 are the seconds he'll stop to think before he does it again.

by Lilian Dynevor Rice, 1900