 | Poems for children |  |
45
THE BLIND LAMB.
T was summer, and softly the ocean
Sang, sparkling in light and heat,
And over the water and over the land
The warm south wind blew sweet.
Sang, sparkling in light and heat,
And over the water and over the land
The warm south wind blew sweet.
And the children played in the sunshine,
And shouted and scampered in glee
O'er the grassy slopes, or the weed-strewn beach,
Or rocked on the dreaming sea.
And shouted and scampered in glee
O'er the grassy slopes, or the weed-strewn beach,
Or rocked on the dreaming sea.
They had roamed the whole bright morning,
The troop of merry boys,
And in they flocked at noontide,
With a clamor of joyful noise.
The troop of merry boys,
And in they flocked at noontide,
With a clamor of joyful noise.
And they bore among them gently
A wee lamb, white as snow;
And, “O mamma, mamma, he 's blind!
He can't tell where to go.
A wee lamb, white as snow;
And, “O mamma, mamma, he 's blind!
He can't tell where to go.
“And we found him lost and lonely.
And we brought him home to you,
And we 're going to feed him and care for him!”
Cried the eager little crew.
And we brought him home to you,
And we 're going to feed him and care for him!”
Cried the eager little crew.
46
“Look, how he falls over everything!”
And they set him on his feet,
And aimlessly he wandered,
With a low and mournful bleat.
And they set him on his feet,
And aimlessly he wandered,
With a low and mournful bleat.
Some sign of pity he seemed to ask,
And he strove to draw more near,
When he felt the touch of a human hand,
Or a kind voice reach his ear.
And he strove to draw more near,
When he felt the touch of a human hand,
Or a kind voice reach his ear.
They tethered him in a grassy space
Hard by the garden gate,
And with sweet fresh milk they fed him,
And cared for him early and late.
Hard by the garden gate,
And with sweet fresh milk they fed him,
And cared for him early and late.
But as the golden days went on,
Forgetful the children grew,
They wearied of tending the poor blind lamb,
No longer a plaything new.
Forgetful the children grew,
They wearied of tending the poor blind lamb,
No longer a plaything new.
And so each day I changed his place
Within the garden fence,
And fed him morn and noon and eve,
And was his Providence.
Within the garden fence,
And fed him morn and noon and eve,
And was his Providence.
And he knew the rustle of my gown,
And every lightest tone,
And when he heard me pass, straightway
He followed o'er stock and stone.
And every lightest tone,
And when he heard me pass, straightway
He followed o'er stock and stone.
49
One dark and balmy evening,
When the south wind breathed of rain,
I went to lead my pet within,
And found but a broken chain.
When the south wind breathed of rain,
I went to lead my pet within,
And found but a broken chain.
And a terror fell upon me,
For round on every side
The circling sea was sending in
The strength of the full flood-tide.
For round on every side
The circling sea was sending in
The strength of the full flood-tide.
I called aloud and listened,
I knew not where to seek;
Out of the dark the warm wet wind
Blue soft against my cheek.
I knew not where to seek;
Out of the dark the warm wet wind
Blue soft against my cheek.
And naught was heard but the sound of waves
Crowding against the shore.
Over the dewy grass I ran,
And called aloud once more.
Crowding against the shore.
Over the dewy grass I ran,
And called aloud once more.
What reached me out of the distance?
Surely, a piteous bleat!
I threw my long dress over my arm,
And followed with flying feet.
Surely, a piteous bleat!
I threw my long dress over my arm,
And followed with flying feet.
Down to the edge of the water,
Calling again and again,
Answered so clearly, near and more near,
By that tremulous cry of pain!
Calling again and again,
Answered so clearly, near and more near,
By that tremulous cry of pain!
50
I crept to the end of the rocky ledge,
Black lay the water wide;
Up from among the rippling waves
Came the shivering voice that cried.
Black lay the water wide;
Up from among the rippling waves
Came the shivering voice that cried.
I could not see, but I answered him;
And, stretching a rescuing hand,
I felt in the darkness his sea-soaked wool,
And drew him in to the land.
And, stretching a rescuing hand,
I felt in the darkness his sea-soaked wool,
And drew him in to the land.
And the poor little creature pressed so close,
Distracted with delight,
While I dried the brine from his dripping fleece
With my apron soft and white.
Distracted with delight,
While I dried the brine from his dripping fleece
With my apron soft and white.
Close in my arms I gathered him
More glad than tongue can tell,
And he laid on my shoulder his pretty head,
He knew that all was well.
More glad than tongue can tell,
And he laid on my shoulder his pretty head,
He knew that all was well.
And I thought as I bore him swiftly back,
Content, close folded thus,
Of the Heavenly Father compassionate,
Whose pity shall succor us.
Content, close folded thus,
Of the Heavenly Father compassionate,
Whose pity shall succor us.
I thought of the arms of mercy
That clasp the world about,
And that not one of His children
Shall perish in dread and doubt:
That clasp the world about,
And that not one of His children
Shall perish in dread and doubt:
51
For He hears the voices that cry to Him,
And near His love shall draw:
With help and comfort He waits for us,
The Light, and the Life, and the Law!
And near His love shall draw:
With help and comfort He waits for us,
The Light, and the Life, and the Law!
| Poems for children | |