 | The poetical works of Lucy Larcom |  |
166
“LIKE ANY OTHER LITTLE GIRL.”
A little girl across the sea
Lives in a palace: one of three
Gay little princesses is she,
Light-hearted as the greenwood merle,
And fond as any child of play;
Fond, too, of having her own way;
And she would keep her holiday
Like any other little girl.
Lives in a palace: one of three
Gay little princesses is she,
Light-hearted as the greenwood merle,
And fond as any child of play;
Fond, too, of having her own way;
And she would keep her holiday
Like any other little girl.
She would not have the soldiers go
Before, behind her, in a row,
That all the gazing crowd might know
She was of Queen Victoria's blood;
And so the royal children spent
Their holiday in merriment
Without alloy, because they went
As any other children would.
Before, behind her, in a row,
That all the gazing crowd might know
She was of Queen Victoria's blood;
And so the royal children spent
Their holiday in merriment
Without alloy, because they went
As any other children would.
Wise little Maude! to learn so soon
That, underneath the sun and moon,
God gives to none a richer boon
Than His own breath, our common air;
To think our thought as others think,
Our life with other lives to link,
And out of one full cup to drink,
Free unto all men, everywhere.
That, underneath the sun and moon,
God gives to none a richer boon
Than His own breath, our common air;
To think our thought as others think,
Our life with other lives to link,
And out of one full cup to drink,
Free unto all men, everywhere.
Nothing that grandest, loveliest is,
In all this lovely world of His,
Was made alone for princesses:
The toiler's child can see the sky,
And feel the sun, and pluck the flower,
And catch the beauty of the hour,
And be at home with that Great Power
Who takes no note of low or high.
In all this lovely world of His,
Was made alone for princesses:
The toiler's child can see the sky,
And feel the sun, and pluck the flower,
And catch the beauty of the hour,
And be at home with that Great Power
Who takes no note of low or high.
Wise little princess! always so
In happy freedom come and go!
And yet—this world is full of woe,
And little people in the whirl
Of care, and crime, and pain are caught:
Give to their piteous fate a thought!
Not all the blessings of your lot
Fall upon every little girl.
In happy freedom come and go!
And yet—this world is full of woe,
And little people in the whirl
Of care, and crime, and pain are caught:
Give to their piteous fate a thought!
Not all the blessings of your lot
Fall upon every little girl.
167
Yet they are also princesses;
A King their Father; each, being His,
A child of heavenly lineage is,
Just like yourself, dear Princess Maude!
And pale indeed is every gem
That stars your future diadem
Beside the crown-rays lighting them—
Your sisters, daughters of your God.
A King their Father; each, being His,
A child of heavenly lineage is,
Just like yourself, dear Princess Maude!
And pale indeed is every gem
That stars your future diadem
Beside the crown-rays lighting them—
Your sisters, daughters of your God.
Ah! be it ever your sweet will
To share their load of good and ill!
So glory that is queenlier still
Than gleam of ruby or of pearl
Your sign of royalty will be;
By right of your humanity
Heiress of all things glad and free,
Like any other little girl!
To share their load of good and ill!
So glory that is queenlier still
Than gleam of ruby or of pearl
Your sign of royalty will be;
By right of your humanity
Heiress of all things glad and free,
Like any other little girl!
| The poetical works of Lucy Larcom | |