My Lyrical Life Poems Old and New. By Gerald Massey |
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 | My Lyrical Life |  |
39
LITTLE PEARL.
“
Poor
little Pearl, good little Pearl!”
Sighed every kindly neighbour;
It was so sad to see a girl
So tender, doomed to labour.
Sighed every kindly neighbour;
It was so sad to see a girl
So tender, doomed to labour.
A wee bird fluttered from its nest
Too soon, was that meek creature;
Just fit to rest in mother's breast,
The darling of fond Nature.
Too soon, was that meek creature;
Just fit to rest in mother's breast,
The darling of fond Nature.
God shield poor little ones, where all
Must help to be bread-bringers!
For once afoot, there's none too small
To ply their tiny fingers.
Must help to be bread-bringers!
For once afoot, there's none too small
To ply their tiny fingers.
Poor Pearl, she had no time to play
The merry game of childhood;
From dawn to dark she went all day,
A-wooding in the wild-wood.
The merry game of childhood;
From dawn to dark she went all day,
A-wooding in the wild-wood.
When others played she stole apart
In pale and shadowy quiet;
Too full of care was her child-heart
For laughter running riot.
In pale and shadowy quiet;
Too full of care was her child-heart
For laughter running riot.
Hard lot for such a tender life,
And miserable guerdon;
But, like a womanly wee wife,
She bravely bore her burden.
And miserable guerdon;
But, like a womanly wee wife,
She bravely bore her burden.
One wintry day they wanted wood,
When need was at the sorest;
Wee Pearl, without a bit of food
Must up and to the forest.
When need was at the sorest;
Wee Pearl, without a bit of food
Must up and to the forest.
40
But there she sank down in the snow,
All over numbed and aching;
Poor little Pearl, she cried as though
Her very heart was breaking.
All over numbed and aching;
Poor little Pearl, she cried as though
Her very heart was breaking.
The blinding snow shut out the house
From little Pearl so weary;
The lonesome wind among the boughs
Moaned with its warnings eerie.
From little Pearl so weary;
The lonesome wind among the boughs
Moaned with its warnings eerie.
A Spirit-Child to wee Pearl came,
With footfall light as Fairy;
He took her hand, he called her name,
The voice was sweet and airy.
With footfall light as Fairy;
He took her hand, he called her name,
The voice was sweet and airy.
His gentle eyes filled tenderly
With mystical wet brightness:
“And would you like to come with me,
And wear the robe of whiteness?”
With mystical wet brightness:
“And would you like to come with me,
And wear the robe of whiteness?”
He bore her bundle to the door,
Gave her a flower when going;
“My darling, I shall come once more,
When the little bud is blowing.”
Gave her a flower when going;
“My darling, I shall come once more,
When the little bud is blowing.”
Home very wan came little Pearl,
But on her face strange glory;
They only thought, “What ails the girl?”
And laughed to hear her story.
But on her face strange glory;
They only thought, “What ails the girl?”
And laughed to hear her story.
Next morn the Mother sought her child,
And clasped it to her bosom;
Poor little Pearl, in death she smiled,
And the rose was full in blossom.
And clasped it to her bosom;
Poor little Pearl, in death she smiled,
And the rose was full in blossom.
| My Lyrical Life | |