When Dicky was sick
In the night, and the clock,
As he listened, said “Tick-
Atty–tick-atty–tock!”
He said that _it_ said,
Every time it said “Tick,”
It said “Sick,” instead,
And he _heard_ it say “Sick!”
And when it said “Tick-
Atty–tick-atty–tock,”
He said it said “Sick-
Atty–sick-atty–sock!”
And he tried to _see_ then,
But the light was too dim,
Yet he _heard_ it again–
And’t was _talking_ to him!
And then it said “Sick-
Atty–sick-atty–sick
You poor little Dick-
Atty–Dick-atty–dock!
Have you got the hick-
Atties? Hi! send for Doc
To hurry up quick
Atty–quick-atty–quock,
And heat a hot brick-
Atty–brick-atty–brock,
And rikle-ty wrap it
And clickle-ty clap it
Against his cold feet-
Al-ty–weep-aty–eepaty–
_There_ he goes, slapit-
Ty–slippaty–sleepaty!”
(James Whitcomb Riley)
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Based on Topics: Night Poems, Light PoemsBased on Keywords: and, hick, dicky