WE ARE SEVEN

--------A SIMPLE Child, That lightly draws its breath, And feels its life in every limb, What sho ld it !now of death" I met a little #ottage $irl% She was eight years old, she said& 'er hair was thi#! with many a # rl That #l stered ro nd her head( She had a r sti#, woodland air, And she was wildly #lad% 'er eyes were fair, and very fair& --'er bea ty made me glad( +Sisters and brothers, little Maid, 'ow many may yo be"+ +'ow many" Seven in all,+ she said And wondering loo!ed at me( +And where are they" I ,ray yo She answered, +Seven are we& And two of s at Conway dwell, And two are gone to sea( tell(+ -* )*

+Two of s in the #h r#h-yard lie, My sister and my brother& And, in the #h r#h-yard #ottage, I .well near them with my mother(+ +/o say that two at Conway dwell, And two are gone to sea, /et ye are seven0--I ,ray yo tell, Sweet Maid, how this may be(+ Then did the little Maid re,ly, +Seven boys and girls are we& Two of s in the #h r#h-yard lie, 2eneath the #h r#h-yard tree(+ +/o r n abo t, my little Maid, /o r limbs they are alive& If two are in the #h r#h-yard laid, Then ye are only five(+ +Their graves are green, they may be seen,+ The little Maid re,lied, +Twelve ste,s or more from my mother3s door, And they are side by side( +My sto#!ings there I often !nit, My !er#hief there I hem& And there ,on the gro nd I sit, And sing a song to them( 1*

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+And often after s nset, Sir, When it is light and fair, I ta!e my little ,orringer, And eat my s ,,er there( +The first that died was sister 5ane& In bed she moaning lay, Till $od released her of her ,ain& And then she went away( +So in the #h r#h-yard she was laid& And, when the grass was dry, Together ro nd her grave we ,layed, My brother 5ohn and I( +And when the gro nd was white with snow, And I #o ld r n and slide, My brother 5ohn was for#ed to go, And he lies by her side(+ +'ow many are yo , then,+ said I, +If they two are in heaven"+ 8 i#! was the little Maid3s re,ly, +9 Master0 we are seven(+ +2 t they are dead& those two are dead0 Their s,irits are in heaven0+ 3Twas throwing words away& for still The little Maid wo ld have her will, And said, +:ay, we are seven0+ 6*

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