James Whitcomb Riley (7 October 1849 - 22 July 1916 / Greenfield, Indiana)

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!'