Alice Oliver Henderson, eight-year-old poet, wrote the following five
poems when she was only seven. Her method is to chant them to her
mother, Alice Corbin Henderson, who takes them down exactly as they are
dictated. Mrs. Henderson thinks their interest lies in the fact that
they are the expression of a child’s mind, and so she refuses to change
or “improve” them. Besides, it might be difficult to “improve” such
lines as “The moon shines against my heart”.... The other poems in the
group were written by Percy Mackaye’s children—Arvia’s at the age of
ten, and Robin’s at twelve. Mr. Mackaye says that his daughter’s were
done while it was still difficult for her to read or write, but that she
has always been read aloud to and has learned considerable poetry by
heart.