 | Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge |  |
36
THE CHILD AND THE SEA.
One Summer day, when birds flew high,
I saw a child step into the sea;
It glowed, and sparkled at her touch,
And softly plashed about her knee.
It held her lightly with its strength,
It kissed and kissed her silken hair;
It swayed with tenderness to know
A little child was in its care.
I saw a child step into the sea;
It glowed, and sparkled at her touch,
And softly plashed about her knee.
It held her lightly with its strength,
It kissed and kissed her silken hair;
It swayed with tenderness to know
A little child was in its care.
She, gleeful, dipped her pretty arms,
And caught the sparkles in her hands;
I heard her laughter, as she soon
Came skipping up the sunny sands.
“Is this the cruel sea?” I thought,
“The merciless, the awful sea?”—
Now hear the answer soft and true,
That rippled over the beach to me:
And caught the sparkles in her hands;
I heard her laughter, as she soon
Came skipping up the sunny sands.
“Is this the cruel sea?” I thought,
“The merciless, the awful sea?”—
Now hear the answer soft and true,
That rippled over the beach to me:
37
“Shall not the sea, in the sun, be glad
When a child doth come to play?
Had it been in the storm-time, what could I,
The sea, but bear her away—
Bear her away on my foaming crest,
Toss her and hurry her to her rest?
When a child doth come to play?
Had it been in the storm-time, what could I,
The sea, but bear her away—
Bear her away on my foaming crest,
Toss her and hurry her to her rest?
“Be it life or death, God ruleth me;
And He loveth every soul;
I've an earthly shore and a heavenly shore,
And toward them both I roll;
Shining and beautiful, both, are they,—
And a little child will go God's way.”
And He loveth every soul;
I've an earthly shore and a heavenly shore,
And toward them both I roll;
Shining and beautiful, both, are they,—
And a little child will go God's way.”
| Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge | |