 | The Poems of Richard Watson Gilder |  |
THE CHILD-GARDEN
In the child-garden buds and blows
A blossom lovelier than the rose.
A blossom lovelier than the rose.
If all the flowers of all the earth
In one garden broke to birth,
In one garden broke to birth,
Not the fairest of the fair
Could with this sweet bloom compare;
Could with this sweet bloom compare;
Nor would all their shining be
Peer to its lone bravery.
Peer to its lone bravery.
Fairer than the rose, I say?
Fairer than the sun-bright day
Fairer than the sun-bright day
In whose rays all glories show,
All beauty is, all blossoms blow;
All beauty is, all blossoms blow;
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While beside it deeply shine
Blooms that take its light divine:
Blooms that take its light divine:
The perilous sweet flower of Hope
Here its hiding eyes doth ope,
Here its hiding eyes doth ope,
And Gentleness doth near uphold
Its healing leaves and heart of gold;
Its healing leaves and heart of gold;
Here tender fingers push the seed
Of Knowledge; pluck the poisonous weed;
Of Knowledge; pluck the poisonous weed;
Here blossoms Joy one singing hour,
And here of Love the immortal flower.
And here of Love the immortal flower.
What this blossom, fragrant, tender,
That outbeams the rose's splendor—
That outbeams the rose's splendor—
Purer is, more tinct with light
Than the lily's flame of white?
Than the lily's flame of white?
Of beauty hath this flower the whole,
And its name—the Human Soul!
And its name—the Human Soul!
| The Poems of Richard Watson Gilder | |