 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
68
WRIT IN WATER.
Shadowed with a mother's love,
Shielded by a father's caring,
Straight and strong she grew, above
Storms for weaker plants unsparing;
Jessica her name, the brow
Beautiful with light, and tender
Glowed as with a sacred vow
Eyes, that made her God Defender;
Child was she of many tears,
Each one's darling, England's daughter,
But her little life of fears
Writ in water.
Shielded by a father's caring,
Straight and strong she grew, above
Storms for weaker plants unsparing;
Jessica her name, the brow
Beautiful with light, and tender
Glowed as with a sacred vow
Eyes, that made her God Defender;
Child was she of many tears,
Each one's darling, England's daughter,
But her little life of fears
Writ in water.
Early died her parents, loath
Jessica to leave deserted,
Binding one to her by oath,
Trust that scarce could be perverted;
Prayers of hope before they trod
Sad the last dim pathway, breathing—
Her to England and her God,
Lone in orphanhood, bequeathing;
Charge of all with kindly hearts,
All who gave a thought to others,
Chose to play a Christian part,
Lived as brothers.
Jessica to leave deserted,
Binding one to her by oath,
Trust that scarce could be perverted;
Prayers of hope before they trod
Sad the last dim pathway, breathing—
Her to England and her God,
Lone in orphanhood, bequeathing;
Charge of all with kindly hearts,
All who gave a thought to others,
Chose to play a Christian part,
Lived as brothers.
Jessica had pretty ways,
Dainty plumage as a pigeon
Shining in the morning rays,
Grace despised not by religion;
Piety was mocked, to win
Ignorance into the halter,
Flashed as flowers above the sin,
Lurking even behind the altar;
Yea, her guardian with his hands,
Wove the web of veiled temptation,
Spread around her silken bands,
His damnation.
Dainty plumage as a pigeon
Shining in the morning rays,
Grace despised not by religion;
Piety was mocked, to win
Ignorance into the halter,
Flashed as flowers above the sin,
Lurking even behind the altar;
Yea, her guardian with his hands,
Wove the web of veiled temptation,
Spread around her silken bands,
His damnation.
Hospitality was slain,
Only that she might be humbled,
Only to entrap and chain
Feet, that never strayed nor stumbled;
Drugged she darkly fell, betrayed
By the coward, who should rather
Her's by his death have delayed,
Sworn to be a second father;
Thus was she enticed to shame,
Led a trusting lamb to slaughter
Innocent, and thus her name
Writ in water.
Only that she might be humbled,
Only to entrap and chain
Feet, that never strayed nor stumbled;
Drugged she darkly fell, betrayed
By the coward, who should rather
Her's by his death have delayed,
Sworn to be a second father;
Thus was she enticed to shame,
Led a trusting lamb to slaughter
Innocent, and thus her name
Writ in water.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |