The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe Household Edition : with illustrations |
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LOVE AND JOY.
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 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
LOVE AND JOY.
AN ALLEGORY.
Long, long ago, ere Sin had come
To make the earth forlorn,
Somewhere, within an Eastern home,
Two pretty babes were born.
To make the earth forlorn,
Somewhere, within an Eastern home,
Two pretty babes were born.
The younger was a maiden fair,
The elder was a boy;
And, for their names, the infant pair
Were christened Love and Joy.
The elder was a boy;
And, for their names, the infant pair
Were christened Love and Joy.
And as they grew in years and strength,
Together they would rove
As merry mates, until at length
Joy seemed the twin of Love!
Together they would rove
As merry mates, until at length
Joy seemed the twin of Love!
And so, at length, it came to pass
That all the neighbors said,
Some happy day the lad and lass
Were certain to be wed.
That all the neighbors said,
Some happy day the lad and lass
Were certain to be wed.
In sooth, such happy mates they seemed,
And so attached at heart,—
The pretty pair,—who would have deemed
That they would ever part?
And so attached at heart,—
The pretty pair,—who would have deemed
That they would ever part?
But so it fell; alas, the wrong!
And woe betide the day
That Sin, the monster! came along
And frightened Joy away!
And woe betide the day
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And frightened Joy away!
And so poor Love, when Joy had flown,
Since he could not abide
To live unwedded and alone,
Took Sorrow for his bride;
Since he could not abide
To live unwedded and alone,
Took Sorrow for his bride;
As sad a bride as e'er was seen
To grace a marriage-bed;
With scowling brow and murky mien,
And cypress round her head.
To grace a marriage-bed;
With scowling brow and murky mien,
And cypress round her head.
And to the twain a child was born,
That bore of each a part,—
The mother's countenance forlorn,
The father's tender heart.
That bore of each a part,—
The mother's countenance forlorn,
The father's tender heart.
“Pity,” they called her,—gentle child;
And from her infant days
Her voice was ever sweet and mild,
And winning were her ways.
And from her infant days
Her voice was ever sweet and mild,
And winning were her ways.
And once, ere she had learned to walk,
While in her cradle-nest,
A dove, that fled the cruel hawk,
Sought safety on her breast.
While in her cradle-nest,
A dove, that fled the cruel hawk,
Sought safety on her breast.
The robin-redbreast came to seek
A home where Pity dwelt;
And all things timorous and weak
Her kind compassion felt.
A home where Pity dwelt;
And all things timorous and weak
Her kind compassion felt.
Ah, sweet, sad face! her mixed descent
Was shown in her attire,
And with the mother's cypress blent
The myrtle of her sire.
Was shown in her attire,
And with the mother's cypress blent
The myrtle of her sire.
And ever since to woman's height
The maiden grew, she roams
Through all the world, an angel bright,
To gladden human homes.
The maiden grew, she roams
Through all the world, an angel bright,
To gladden human homes.
Her office still to follow where
Her mother's feet have strayed,
And soothe and heal, with tender care,
The wounds the dame has made.
Her mother's feet have strayed,
And soothe and heal, with tender care,
The wounds the dame has made.
But both are mortal, sages write,
And so they both must die;
Sorrow, at last, will cease to smite,
And Pity cease to sigh.
And so they both must die;
Sorrow, at last, will cease to smite,
And Pity cease to sigh.
And then will Joy return, they say,
From heaven, where she had flown,
And Love, forever and for aye,
Be married to his own.
From heaven, where she had flown,
And Love, forever and for aye,
Be married to his own.
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |