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My friend Roger told me about his sister who was born premature. She was so small that they had to pin her handkerchief-sized dress to a pillow, so that she would stay put. She grew up in a coal camp house in Appalachia and slept in the bottom drawer of the bureau. She grew up to be tall and strong, but Roger was impatient for her to grow faster because he wanted a sibling to run and play with him.

lyrics

Sister Rosie

Sister Rosie born much too small –
much to small and that is all.
A sack of sugar weighed more than Rose –
more than Rose in her winter clothes.

One flake of soap and a cup of water
made a bath for baby daughter.
Her nose no bigger than a black-eyed pea.
Ro-oh-ose, hurry up and grow.

Daddy’s hankie made Rose a dress –
made a dress for our princess.
Pinned her dress to a pillow soft –
a pillow soft, in case Rose rolled off.

Rosie slept in a bureau drawer –
in a bureau drawer.
where Daddy’s hankies were
A thimble of sugar will help her grow.
Won’t you grow, Sister Rose?

Rosie’s tears just dewdrop sized.
Dewdrop cries from button eyes.
Sister Rosie born much too small –
much to small and that is all.

credits

from The Wondarium – Limited Edition Handprinted, released October 15, 2021
Music and Lyrics by Jeni Hankins, Lulu Wall Music, BMI,
Alfred John Hickling, Sweet Pea Music,
and Billy Kemp, Willbilly Music, BMI.

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about

Jeni Hankins London, UK

Jeni Hankins grew up in the coalfields of Appalachian in Southwest Virginia among a family of miners, moonshiners, and journalists. Her writing pulls the grit, gumption, and keen sense of observation out of that heritage like drawing water from her grandmother’s well.

In every song, Jeni’s “true sense of place shines through – old as the hills, but brand new at the same time.”
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