 | Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold |  |
THE BABY PILGRIMS.
I saw the Baby Pilgrims pass
As walking upon air,
The snowflakes falling on the grass
Were not so soft and fair;
Their little feet
Made music sweet
That filled the land with laughter,
And as they trod
The blighted sod
Burst into green thereafter.
I saw them when a little child,
And as they journeyed forth they smil'd
At me with tender
Sudden splendour,
That broke through precious pearly tears;
And in a moment all the years
Gave up the secret of their fears,
And hate grew tender;
The future, with its soldier's march
Of feasts and fights
And days and nights
In mixed delights,
Before me stood a rainbow arch—
A rainbow arch.
As walking upon air,
The snowflakes falling on the grass
Were not so soft and fair;
Their little feet
Made music sweet
That filled the land with laughter,
And as they trod
The blighted sod
Burst into green thereafter.
78
And as they journeyed forth they smil'd
At me with tender
Sudden splendour,
That broke through precious pearly tears;
And in a moment all the years
Gave up the secret of their fears,
And hate grew tender;
The future, with its soldier's march
Of feasts and fights
And days and nights
In mixed delights,
Before me stood a rainbow arch—
A rainbow arch.
I saw them once, I saw them twice,
With lilies in their train
And fragrance as of Orient spice—
I saw them yet again;
Their little frames
Like carven flames
Had an exceeding glory,
And their great eyes
Were mysteries
Of some unearthly story.
And where they stept the poorest earth
Forgot its pining and its dearth,
And from its bosom
Poured the blossom
Of whitest flowers with honey cup,
Whereof the angels well might sup—
Yes, lilies at their feet sprang up,
With virgin bosom.
I saw them, when a fiery youth
With fearless grip
On Beauty's hip
And thirsty lip,
I tore the veil from naked Truth—
From naked Truth.
With lilies in their train
And fragrance as of Orient spice—
I saw them yet again;
Their little frames
Like carven flames
Had an exceeding glory,
And their great eyes
Were mysteries
Of some unearthly story.
And where they stept the poorest earth
Forgot its pining and its dearth,
And from its bosom
Poured the blossom
Of whitest flowers with honey cup,
Whereof the angels well might sup—
Yes, lilies at their feet sprang up,
With virgin bosom.
I saw them, when a fiery youth
With fearless grip
On Beauty's hip
And thirsty lip,
I tore the veil from naked Truth—
From naked Truth.
79
Once more, when in the toiling mass
I hardly held my own,
I saw the Baby Pilgrims pass,
So sweet and so unknown.
Their little hands
Were golden bands
And with my hands seemed mingled,
Each little breast
To mine seemed prest
And through me throbbed and tingled;
Their forms were beautiful and bare,
And grim as darkness every care
Died at their blessing
And caressing;
As heart to heart, and face to face,
This mortal flesh and spirit grace
Met in one warm and long embrace
And found one blessing.
But now that shadows round me creep
With coming night,
Those beings bright
And more than sight
Are drawing near, and mix with sleep—
And mix with sleep.
I hardly held my own,
I saw the Baby Pilgrims pass,
So sweet and so unknown.
Their little hands
Were golden bands
And with my hands seemed mingled,
Each little breast
To mine seemed prest
And through me throbbed and tingled;
Their forms were beautiful and bare,
And grim as darkness every care
Died at their blessing
And caressing;
As heart to heart, and face to face,
This mortal flesh and spirit grace
Met in one warm and long embrace
And found one blessing.
But now that shadows round me creep
With coming night,
Those beings bright
And more than sight
Are drawing near, and mix with sleep—
And mix with sleep.
| Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold | |