"Knit your hearts
with an unslipping knot."
with an unslipping knot."
— Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Knitting Song
SOLDIER lad, on the sodden ground,
Sailor lad on the seas,
Can't you hear a little clicketty sound
Stealing across on the breeze?
Sailor lad on the seas,
Can't you hear a little clicketty sound
Stealing across on the breeze?
It's the knitting-needles singing their song
As they twine the khaki or blue,
Thousands and thousands and thousands strong,
Tommy and Jack, for you.
As they twine the khaki or blue,
Thousands and thousands and thousands strong,
Tommy and Jack, for you.
Click — click — click,
How they dart and flick,
Flashing in the firelight to and fro!
Now for purl and plain,
Round and round again,
Knitting love and luck in every row.
How they dart and flick,
Flashing in the firelight to and fro!
Now for purl and plain,
Round and round again,
Knitting love and luck in every row.
The busy hands may be rough or white,
The fingers gouty or slim,
The careful eyes may be youthfully bright,
Or they may be weary and dim,
Lady and workgirl, young and old,
The fingers gouty or slim,
The careful eyes may be youthfully bright,
Or they may be weary and dim,
Lady and workgirl, young and old,
They've all got one end in view,
Knitting warm comforts against the cold,
Tommy and Jack, for you.
Knitting warm comforts against the cold,
Tommy and Jack, for you.
Knitting away by the midnight oil,
Knitting when day begins,
Lads, in the stress of your splendid toil,
Can't you hear the song of the pins?
Knitting when day begins,
Lads, in the stress of your splendid toil,
Can't you hear the song of the pins?
Clicketty, click — through the wind and the foam
It's telling the boys over there
That every "woolly" that comes from home
Brings a smile and a hope and a prayer.
It's telling the boys over there
That every "woolly" that comes from home
Brings a smile and a hope and a prayer.
Click — click — click,
How they dart and flick,
Flashing in the firelight to and fro!
Now for purl and plain,
Round and round again,
Knitting love and luck in every row.
How they dart and flick,
Flashing in the firelight to and fro!
Now for purl and plain,
Round and round again,
Knitting love and luck in every row.
Jessie Pope.
from THE FIERY CROSS: An Anthology of War Poems, Edwards, Mabel C. and Mary Booth, eds.
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