Lyric Poem · Childhood

'Tis One by One—the Father counts

'Tis One by One — the Father counts —

And then a Tract between

Set Cypherless — to teach the Eye

The Value of its Ten —

Until the peevish Student

Acquire the Quick of Skill —

Then Numerals are dowered back —

Adorning all the Rule —

'Tis mostly Slate and Pencil —

And Darkness on the School

Distracts the Children's fingers —

Still the Eternal Rule

Regards least Cypherer alike

With Leader of the Band —

And every separate Urchin's Sum —

Is fashioned for his hand —

This poem is in the public domain.

“'Tis One by One—the Father counts” by Emily Dickinson — quilloak.com/poems/tis-one-by-one-the-father-counts

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