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The poetical remains of William Sidney Walker

... Edited with a memoir of the author by the Rev. J. Moultrie

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TO A GIRL IN HER THIRTEENTH YEAR.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


12

TO A GIRL IN HER THIRTEENTH YEAR.

καιτοι σε και νυν τουτο γε ζηλουν εχο,
οθ' ουνεκ' ουδεν τωνδ' επαισθανει κακων:
εν τω φρονειν γαρ μηδεν ηδιστος βιος
εως το χαιρειν και το λυπεισθαι μαθης.
τεως δε κουφοις πνευμασιν βοσκου νεαν
ψυχην αταλλων----
Soph. Aj.

Thy smiles, thy talk, thy aimless plays,
So beautiful approve thee,
So winning light are all thy ways,
I cannot choose but love thee.
Thy balmy breath upon my brow
Is like the summer air,
As o'er my cheek thou leanest now
To plant a soft kiss there.

13

Thy steps are dancing toward the bound
Between the child and woman;
And thoughts and feelings more profound,
And other years, are coming:
And thou shalt be more deeply fair,
More precious to the heart:
But never canst thou be again
That lovely thing thou art!
And youth shall pass, with all the brood
Of fancy-fed affection;
And grief shall come with womanhood,
And waken cold reflection;
Thou'lt learn to toil, and watch, and weep
O'er pleasures unreturning,
Like one who wakes from pleasant sleep
Unto the cares of morning.

14

—Nay, say not so! nor cloud the sun
Of joyous expectation,
Ordain'd to bless the little one,
The freshling of creation!
Nor doubt that He, who thus doth feed
Her early lamp with gladness,
Will be her present help in need,
Her comforter in sadness.
Smile on then, little winsome thing!
All rich in nature's treasure,
Thou hast within thy heart a spring
Of self-renewing pleasure.
Smile on, fair child, and take thy fill
Of mirth, till time shall end it;
'Tis Nature's wise and gentle will,
And who shall reprehend it?