 | Poems |  |
122
THE BABES IN THE WOOD.
A LOVER'S DREAM.
So dreaming sad and true,
He deemed he saw two outcast children rove;
Oft had he nursed them fondly, so he knew
Their faces—Hope and Love!
He deemed he saw two outcast children rove;
Oft had he nursed them fondly, so he knew
Their faces—Hope and Love!
And ever farther North—
Such heavy doom lay on them through some sin
And sorrow not their own—they wandered forth,
And none did take them in.
Such heavy doom lay on them through some sin
And sorrow not their own—they wandered forth,
And none did take them in.
The wild wind round them strewed
Brown whirling leaves, and sighed amid its play,
While ever deeper in the wintry wood
Their small feet went astray.
Brown whirling leaves, and sighed amid its play,
While ever deeper in the wintry wood
Their small feet went astray.
Yet smiling as they sung
Their little songs, they held each other's hand,
And cheered each other onwards in a tongue
None else might understand.
Their little songs, they held each other's hand,
And cheered each other onwards in a tongue
None else might understand.
123
They fed each other kind—
For slender food these gentle Babes require—
With here and there a berry, left behind
On ragged thorn or brier.
For slender food these gentle Babes require—
With here and there a berry, left behind
On ragged thorn or brier.
And closer, as the dew
Fell dank, unto each other's side they crept;
And closer, closer to each other drew
For warmth, before they slept;
Fell dank, unto each other's side they crept;
And closer, closer to each other drew
For warmth, before they slept;
For by some law, these two
Together born, together linked for aye,
Could only die together! so they knew
What time their hour drew nigh.
Together born, together linked for aye,
Could only die together! so they knew
What time their hour drew nigh.
And oft amid the chill
They woke, and listened for each other's breath,
And felt a pulse beat feebly; all was still,
And yet it was not Death!
They woke, and listened for each other's breath,
And felt a pulse beat feebly; all was still,
And yet it was not Death!
“Still, Brother, thou art warm,”
They whispered to each other; till its fold
Relaxing languidly, each little arm
Grew stiff, and both were cold.
They whispered to each other; till its fold
Relaxing languidly, each little arm
Grew stiff, and both were cold.
No pious Robins there
Brought leaves; but smitten with a late remorse,
A pitying Spirit of the upper air
Wept kind above each corse;
Brought leaves; but smitten with a late remorse,
A pitying Spirit of the upper air
Wept kind above each corse;
124
And from undying bowers
Shook on those Children, buried in the snow,
Sweet buds and blossoms of the very flowers
They played with long ago!
Shook on those Children, buried in the snow,
Sweet buds and blossoms of the very flowers
They played with long ago!
| Poems | |