Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume II. Love. 1904. | | | | III. Love’s Beginnings | | A Spinster’s Stint | | Alice Cary (1820–1871) |
| | | SIX skeins and three, six skeins and three! | |
| Good mother, so you stinted me, | |
| And here they be,—ay, six and three! | |
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| Stop, busy wheel! stop, noisy wheel! | |
| Long shadows down my chamber steal, | 5 |
| An’ warn me to make haste and reel. | |
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| ’T is done,—the spinning work complete, | |
| O heart of mine, what makes you beat | |
| So fast and sweet, so fast and sweet? | |
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| I must have wheat and pinks, to stick | 10 |
| My hat from brim to ribbon, thick,— | |
| Slow hands of mine, be quick, be quick! | |
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| One, two, three stars along the skies | |
| Begin to wink their golden eyes,— | |
| I ’ll leave my thread all knots and ties. | 15 |
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| O moon, so red! O moon, so red! | |
| Sweetheart of night, go straight to bed; | |
| Love’s light will answer in your stead. | |
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| A-tiptoe, beckoning me, he stands,— | |
| Stop trembling, little foolish hands, | 20 |
| And stop the bands, and stop the bands! | | | | |
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