Child Margaret by Carl Sandburg THE CHILD Margaret begins to
write numbers on a Saturday morning, the first numbers formed
under her wishing child fingers. All the numbers come well-born,
shaped in figures assertive for a frieze in a child’s room. Both
1 and 7 are straightforward, military, filled with lunge and
attack, erect in shoulder-straps. The 6 and 9 salute as dancing
sisters, elder and younger, and 2 is a trapeze actor swinging to
handclaps. All the numbers are well-born, only 3 has a hump on
its back and 8 is knock-kneed. The child Margaret kisses all
once and gives two kisses to 3 and 8. (Each number is a bran-new
rag doll … O in the wishing fingers … millions of rag dolls,
millions and millions of new rag dolls!!)