I thought it would be appropriate to start February 2022 with a poem that was published at the beginning of February many years ago – 141 years ago to be precise. February 1, 1881, fell on a Tuesday just like February 1, 2022. The issue of Harper’s Young People released on that day began with a poem titled Kitty’s First Pie. While a kitty is mentioned in the poem and featured in the illustration that was made for the poem, the heroine of Kitty’s First Pie is a young girl named Kit. Harper’s did not include the name of the author with the poem. Without further ado, I present to you Kitty’s First Pie as it was published in 1881.

(Note: I wrote about the best way to search Project Gutenberg’s vast library of free ebooks in an earlier article.)

“Kitty’s First Pie”

An illustration of a young girl named Kit holding her first hommeade pie, as her cat and younger sister wait for their piece. The picture went with "Kitty's First Pie," a poem in an 1881 issue of Harper's Young People.
This illustration went with Kitty’s First Pie in the magazine. From left to right, we have Mrs. Purr (the cat), Miss Kit (the young girl holding the pie), and Bertha (Miss Kit’s younger sister).
Baked in a patty-pan,
   Flaky and light,
Done to a turn,
   And seasoned just right,
By a recipe taken
   From mother's bg book,
And some words of advice
   Thrown in by the cook,
      Is Kitty's first pie.

She made it herself,
   Did little Miss Kit,
Without the least bit of help,
   Not one tiny bit.
But in eating it she'll have
   Assistance enough;
For there's Bertha her sister,
   And little dog Buff,
And dear Mrs. Purr

   (Who's a cat, as you know),
And all the sweet dolls
   Sitting up in a row,
Each waiting her turn
   For a piece of the pie;
And all the young people
   Besides you and I
Would, if asked, take a bit
   Of Kitty's first pie.

Of course 'twill go round,
   For it's round as a wheel,
Though I doubt if for all
   It would make a full meal.
But I'm sure there's enough
   For each one to taste,
And pass an opinion
   Of the mince and the paste
Of Kitty's first pie.