 | Verses of a life time |  |
246
TO MY DAUGHTER.
Thou wert my pride in babyhood, a bright and fairy thing,
With dimpling smiles, and mottled arms, and quick elastic spring;
With teeth that lay like little shells upon a coral bed,
And hair as soft as gossamer by summer breezes sped.
With dimpling smiles, and mottled arms, and quick elastic spring;
With teeth that lay like little shells upon a coral bed,
And hair as soft as gossamer by summer breezes sped.
Thou wert my pride when thy first word in broken accents woke,
And thought from out its prison-cell in simple phrases broke;
And when thy tottling velvet feet the spell of weakness spurned,
And to my arms, with frantic laugh, thy outspread arms were turned!
And thought from out its prison-cell in simple phrases broke;
And when thy tottling velvet feet the spell of weakness spurned,
And to my arms, with frantic laugh, thy outspread arms were turned!
247
Thou wert my pride in childhood, when demurely to thy school,
Thou trod'st thy way industrious, beneath a teacher's rule;
And when each swift revolving year a learned honor brought,
In shape of shining premium, by scholar-craft still bought.
Thou trod'st thy way industrious, beneath a teacher's rule;
And when each swift revolving year a learned honor brought,
In shape of shining premium, by scholar-craft still bought.
Proud was I of thy tuneful art, when thought, matured and free,
Lent to thy voice and words a tone of golden minstrelsy;
I've closed my eyes, and dreamed that such would be the seraph strain
That to the spirit-world would call my spirit back again.
Lent to thy voice and words a tone of golden minstrelsy;
I've closed my eyes, and dreamed that such would be the seraph strain
That to the spirit-world would call my spirit back again.
Proud was I of thy household step, with all its busy arts,
Which to the social fire-side life its quietness imparts;
I joyed to hear thy broken song, thy light and careless jest,
Spring forth when aiming thus to make the friends who love thee blest.
Which to the social fire-side life its quietness imparts;
I joyed to hear thy broken song, thy light and careless jest,
Spring forth when aiming thus to make the friends who love thee blest.
248
But now I have a tenderer pride. Yes, when upon my frame
With aching head, and throbbing pulse, the fever tempest came,
And I saw thine eye in sympathy bend o'er my restless bed,
And saw thy form go quietly, with gently thoughtful tread—
With aching head, and throbbing pulse, the fever tempest came,
And I saw thine eye in sympathy bend o'er my restless bed,
And saw thy form go quietly, with gently thoughtful tread—
And felt thy kiss of lovingness fall sweetly on my cheek,
And heard thy voice in whisperings thy patient nursing speak—
I knew how pain and weariness by love can be beguiled,
And turned to Heaven indeed with pride, that thou, thou art my child.
And heard thy voice in whisperings thy patient nursing speak—
I knew how pain and weariness by love can be beguiled,
And turned to Heaven indeed with pride, that thou, thou art my child.
1838.
| Verses of a life time | |