WHEN I WAS ALITTLE GIRL

Alice Milligan (1866- 1953)

WHEN I was a little girl,
In a garden playing,
A thing was often said
To chide ns delaying:

When after sunny hours,
At twilight s falling,
Down through the garden walks
Came our old nurse calling.

"Come in  for it is growing late,
And the grass will wet ye
Come in or when it’s dark
The Fenians will get ye.

Then, at this dreadful news,
All helter-skelter,
The panic-struck little flock
Ran home for shelter.

And ronnd the nursery fire
Sat still to listen,
Fifty bare toes on the hearth,
Ten eyes a-glisten.

To hear of a night in March,
And loyal folk waiting,
To see a great army of men
Come devastating.

An army of Papists grim,
With a green flag o’er them,
Red-coats and black police
Flying before them.

Bnt God (Who onr nurse declared
Guards British dominions)
Sent down a deep fall of snow
And scattered the Fenians.

But somewhere they’re lurking yet.
Maybe they’re near us,’’
Four little hearts pit-a-pat
Thought Can they hear us ?"

But one little rebel there,
Watching all with laughter,
Thought When the Fenians come
I'll rise and go after.*

Wished she had been a boy
And a good deal older
Able to walk for miles
With a gun on her shoulder.

Able to lift aloft
That Green Flag o’er them
(Red-coats and black police
Flying before them).

And, as she dropped asleep,
Was wondering whether
God, if they prayed to Him,
Would give fine weather. '