birthday morning

when i've said my evening prayers,
and my clothes are folded on the chair,
and mother has turned out the light,
i'll still be eleven years old tonight.

but, before the very break of day,

before the children rise and play,
before the greenness turns to gold,

tomorrow i'll be twelve years old.

twelve kisses when i wake,
twelve candles on my cake.

(and a ticket to the hugo movie . .)

(. . and yellow roses from her acting teacher).