Edith McCullough Perry:
My Story

I used to know a dear old man
In the golden days of long ago
He'd sit by a desk where he kept his books
That were filled with figures in even rows;
And he used to count in his native tongue
All to himself, and we children would come
Running to him, and he'd raise his hand
To silence us, and we would stand
And wait till we'd hear him say aloud,
"Ein, zwei, drei und zwanzig"
Then he'd draw a line and put figures under
Just like ours when we counted money
And then he would turn to us and say,
"Vel, vot iss it, Honey?"

It's a long time now since I was a child,
But I'd like to go back by his desk and stand,
While he counted figures in one long line
And silenced me with his lifted hand
I'd like to hear him say aloud,
"Ein, zwei, drei und zwanzig."
I'd like to see him put figures down
Just like ours when we count money,
But best of all, I'd like him to say,
"Vel, vot iss it, Honey?"