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Poem
June 13, 1810
The Rhode Island Republican
Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island
What is this article about?
A speaker questions a eight-year-old cottage girl about her family, learning she has seven siblings total, two deceased and buried near her home. Despite the deaths, she insists 'we are seven,' embodying innocent denial of mortality.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
POETRY.
(SELECTED.)
WE ARE SEVEN.
A simple child, dear brother Jim,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?
I met a little cottage girl,
Of eight years old, she said,
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That clustered round her head.
She had a rustic, woodland air,
And she was wildly clad;
Her eyes were fair, and very fair,
Her beauty made me glad.
Sisters and brothers, little maid,
How many? Seven in all, she said,
And wondering looked at me.
And where are they, I pray you tell?
She answered, Seven are we,
And two of us at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea.
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
My sister and my brother,
And in the church-yard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother.
You say that two at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven; I pray you tell,
Sweet maid, how this may be?
Then did the little maid reply,
Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
Beneath the church-yard tree.
You run about, my little maid,
Your limbs they are alive;
If two are in the church-yard laid,
Then ye are only five.
Their graves are green, they may be seen,
The little maid replied,
Twelve steps or more from mother's door,
And they are side by side.
My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem,
And there upon the ground I sit
I sit and sing to them.
And often after sunset, sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.
The first that died was little Jane,
In bed she moaning lay,
Till God released her from her pain,
And then she went away.
So in the church-yard she was laid,
And all the summer dry,
Together round her grave we played,
My brother John and I.
And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side.
How many are you then, said I,
If they two are in heaven?
This little maiden did reply,
O master, we are seven.
But they are dead: those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little maid would have her will,
And said, Nay, we are seven!
(SELECTED.)
WE ARE SEVEN.
A simple child, dear brother Jim,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?
I met a little cottage girl,
Of eight years old, she said,
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That clustered round her head.
She had a rustic, woodland air,
And she was wildly clad;
Her eyes were fair, and very fair,
Her beauty made me glad.
Sisters and brothers, little maid,
How many? Seven in all, she said,
And wondering looked at me.
And where are they, I pray you tell?
She answered, Seven are we,
And two of us at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea.
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
My sister and my brother,
And in the church-yard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother.
You say that two at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven; I pray you tell,
Sweet maid, how this may be?
Then did the little maid reply,
Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
Beneath the church-yard tree.
You run about, my little maid,
Your limbs they are alive;
If two are in the church-yard laid,
Then ye are only five.
Their graves are green, they may be seen,
The little maid replied,
Twelve steps or more from mother's door,
And they are side by side.
My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem,
And there upon the ground I sit
I sit and sing to them.
And often after sunset, sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.
The first that died was little Jane,
In bed she moaning lay,
Till God released her from her pain,
And then she went away.
So in the church-yard she was laid,
And all the summer dry,
Together round her grave we played,
My brother John and I.
And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side.
How many are you then, said I,
If they two are in heaven?
This little maiden did reply,
O master, we are seven.
But they are dead: those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little maid would have her will,
And said, Nay, we are seven!
What sub-type of article is it?
Ballad
What themes does it cover?
Death Mourning
What keywords are associated?
Childhood Innocence
Sibling Death
Family Count
Cottage Girl
Churchyard Graves
Poem Details
Title
We Are Seven.
Key Lines
You Run About, My Little Maid,
Your Limbs They Are Alive;
If Two Are In The Church Yard Laid,
Then Ye Are Only Five.
Their Graves Are Green, They May Be Seen,
The Little Maid Replied,
Twelve Steps Or More From Mother's Door,
And They Are Side By Side.
How Many Are You Then, Said I,
If They Two Are In Heaven?
This Little Maiden Did Reply,
O Master, We Are Seven.
But They Are Dead: Those Two Are Dead!
Their Spirits Are In Heaven!
'Twas Throwing Words Away; For Still
The Little Maid Would Have Her Will,
And Said, Nay, We Are Seven!