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!

Stop, busy wheel! stop, noisy wheel!

Long shadows down my chamber steal,

An’ warn me to make haste and reel.

’T is done,—the spinning work complete,

O heart of mine, what makes you beat

So fast and sweet, so fast and sweet?

I must have wheat and pinks, to stick

My hat from brim to ribbon, thick,—

Slow hands of mine, be quick, be quick!

One, two, three stars along the skies

Begin to wink their golden eyes,—

I ’ll leave my thread all knots and ties.

O moon, so red! O moon, so red!

Sweetheart of night, go straight to bed;

Love’s light will answer in your stead.

A-tiptoe, beckoning me, he stands,—

Stop trembling, little foolish hands,

And stop the bands, and stop the bands!