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The complete poetical writings of J. G. Holland

Holland, J. G. (1819-1881)

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BITTERSWEET
  
PICTURE.
  
PERSONS.
  
PRELUDE.
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FIRST MOVEMENT.
  
FIRST EPISODE.
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SECOND MOVEMENT.
  
SECOND EPISODE.
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THE THIRD MOVEMENT.
  
L'ENVOY.
  
THE PURITAN'S GUEST.
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KATHRINA.
  
A TRIBUTE.
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PART I.
  
CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH.
  
COMPLAINT.
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PART II.
  
LOVE.
  
A REFLECTION.
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PART III.
  
LABOR.
  
DESPAIR.
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PART IV.
  
CONSUMMATION.
  
JACOB HURD'S CHILD.
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THE Mistress OF THE Manse.
  
[I.] PRELUDE.
 2. 
II.
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LOVE'S EXPERIMENTS.
 1. 
I.
 2. 
II.
 3. 
III.
 4. 
IV.
 5. 
V.
 6. 
VI.
 7. 
VII.
 8. 
VIII.
 9. 
IX.
 10. 
X.
 11. 
XI.
 12. 
XII.
 13. 
XIII.
 14. 
XIV.
 15. 
XV.
 16. 
XVI.
 17. 
XVII.
 18. 
XVIII.
 19. 
XIX.
 20. 
XX.
 21. 
XXI.
  
SELIM AND NOURMAHAL.
 22. 
XXII.
 23. 
XXIII.
  
LOVE'S PHILOSOPHIES.
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LOVE'S CONSUMMATIONS.
 1. 
[I.]
 2. 
II.
 3. 
III.
 4. 
IV.
 5. 
V.
 6. 
VI.
 7. 
VII.
 8. 
VIII.
 9. 
IX.
 10. 
X.
 11. 
XI.
 12. 
XII.
 13. 
XIII.
 14. 
XIV.
 15. 
XV.
 16. 
XVI.
 17. 
XVII.
 19. 
XIX.
 20. 
XX.
 21. 
XXI.
 22. 
XXII.
 23. 
XXIII.
 24. 
XXIV.
 25. 
XXV.
 26. 
XXVI.
 27. 
XXVII.
 28. 
XXVIII.
 29. 
XXIX.
 30. 
XXX.
  
THE HEART OF THE WAR.
  
THE MARBLE PROPHECY.
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SHORTER POEMS
  
THE PALMER'S VISION.
  
TO WHITTIER ON HIS SEVENTIETH BIRTHDAY.
  
A GLIMPSE OF YOUTH.
  
A GOLDEN WEDDING-SONG.
  
DANIEL GRAY.
  
MERLE THE COUNSELLOR.
  
WANTED.
  
VERSES READ AT THE HADLEY CENTENNIAL.
  
A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
  
THE OLD CLOCK OF PRAGUE.
  
ALBERT DURER'S STUDIO.
  
ALONE!
  
SONG AND SILENCE.
  
WHERE SHALL THE BABY'S DIMPLE BE?
  
TO A SLEEPING SINGER.
  
EUREKA.
  
RETURNING CLOUDS.
  
GRADATIM.
  
ON THE RIGHT.
  
THE WINGS.
  
INTIMATIONS.
  
WORDS.
  
SLEEPING AND DREAMING.
  
OLD AND BLIND.
  
HER ARGUMENT.
  
A LEGEND OF LEAP YEAR.
  
FALSE AND TRUE.

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483

WHERE SHALL THE BABY'S DIMPLE BE?

Over the cradle the mother hung,
Softly crooning a slumber-song;
And these were the simple words she sung
All the evening long:
“Cheek or chin, or knuckle or knee,
Where shall the baby's dimple be?
Where shall the angel's finger rest
When he comes down to the baby's nest?
Where shall the angel's touch remain
When he awakens my babe again?”
Still as she bent and sang so low,
A murmur into her music broke;
And she paused to hear, for she could but know
The baby's angel spoke.
“Cheek or chin, or knuckle or knee,
Where shall the baby's dimple be?
Where shall my finger fall and rest
When I come down to the baby's nest?
Where shall my finger's touch remain
When I awaken your babe again?”
Silent the mother sat, and dwelt
Long in the sweet delay of choice;
And then by her baby's side she knelt.
And sang with pleasant voice:
484

“Not on the limb, O angel dear!
For the charm with its youth will disappear;
Not on the cheek shall the dimple be,
For the harboring smile will fade and flee;
But touch thou the chin with an impress deep,
And my baby the angel's seal shall keep.”
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