We are Seven by William Wordsworth

'"We are Seven" is a poem written  in 1798 and published in Lyrical Ballads. It describes a discussion between an adult poetic speaker and a "little cottage girl" about the number of brothers and sisters who dwell with her. The poem turns on the question of whether to count two dead siblings.

The poem begins with the narrator asking:

A simple child, dear brother Jim,

That lightly draws its breath,

And feels its life in every limb,

What should it know of death? (lines 1–4)

He transitions to describe a girl whose beauty pleased him:

She had a rustic, woodland air,

And she was wildly clad;

Her eyes were fair, and very fair;

—Her beauty made me glad. (lines 9–12)

He begins to question her about her siblings:

"Sisters and brothers, little Maid,

How many may you be?"

How many? Seven in all," she said,

And wondering looked at me. (lines 13–16)

He questions her further, asking where they are, and she simply responds that two are in Wales, two are at sea, and two are buried in a churchyard near her home. He is confused by her answer and asks:

"Yet you are seven; I pray you tell,

"Sweet  Maid, how this may be?" (lines 27–28)

She replies:

"Seven boys and girls are we;

"Two of us in the church-yard lie,

"Beneath the church-yard tree." (lines 30–32)

He questions her further, trying to have her admit that there are only five but she responds:

"Their graves are green, they may be seen,"

The little Maid replied,

"Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,"

"And they are side by side."

"My stockings there I often knit,

"My 'kerchief there I hem;

"And there upon the ground I sit—

"I sit and sing to them.

"And often after sun-set, Sir,

"When it is light and fair,

"I take my little porringer,

"And eat my supper there (lines 36–48)

"If they two are in Heaven?" (lines 61–62)

"But they are dead: those two are dead!

"Their spirits are in Heaven!" (lines 65–66)

S'Twas throwing words away: for still

The little Maid would have her will,

And said, "Nay, we are seven!" (lines 67–69)]

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