# The Kitchen Clock

- Source: McGuffey's Second Reader (second-reader.gutenberg.org), Public domain, William Holmes McGuffey, 1879, via Project Gutenberg
- Reading level: Grades 1 and 2
- Subjects: Poems, Animals
- Topics: clock, says, tick-tock-tick-tock, kitchen, never, place
- Length: 145 words, about 1 min
- Original: <https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14668>
- Page: <https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/r/mcguffey-second/second-37-lesson-37>
- Open in Sprouts: <https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/?read=mcguffey-second/second-37-lesson-37>

<!-- body -->

THE KITCHEN CLOCK.

- Listen to the kitchen clock!  
  To itself it ever talks,  
  From its place it never walks;  
  "Tick-tock-tick-tock:"  
  Tell me what it says.
- "I'm a very patient clock,  
  Never moved by hope or fear,  
  Though I've stood for many a year;  
  Tick-tock-tick-tock:"  
  That is what it says.
- "I'm a very truthful clock:  
  People say about the place,  
  Truth is written on my face;  
  Tick-tock-tick-tock:"  
  That is what it says.
- "I'm a most obliging clock;  
  If you wish to hear me strike,  
  You may do it when you like;  
  Tick-tock-tick-tock: "  
  That is what it says.
- "I'm a very friendly clock;  
  For this truth to all I tell,  
  Life is short, improve it well;  
  Tick-tock-tick-tock:"  
  That is what it says.
- What a talkative old clock!  
  Let us see what it will do  
  When the hour hand reaches two;  
  "Ding-ding—tick-tock:"  
  That is what it says.

<!-- /body -->

## Picture credits

- illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain (<https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14668>)