 | Poems for children |  |
INHOSPITALITY.
Down on the north wind sweeping
Comes the storm with roaring din;
Sadly, with dreary tumult,
The twilight gathers in.
Comes the storm with roaring din;
Sadly, with dreary tumult,
The twilight gathers in.
The snow-covered little island
Is white as a frosted cake;
And round and round it the billows
Bellow, and thunder, and break.
Is white as a frosted cake;
And round and round it the billows
Bellow, and thunder, and break.
Within doors the blazing drift-wood
Is glowing, ruddy and warm,
And happiness sits at the fire-side,
Watching the raging storm.
Is glowing, ruddy and warm,
And happiness sits at the fire-side,
Watching the raging storm.
What fluttered past the window,
All weary and wet and weak,
With the heavily drooping pinions,
And the wicked, crooked beak?
All weary and wet and weak,
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And the wicked, crooked beak?
Cries the little sister, watching,
“Whither now can he flee?
Black through the whirling snow-flakes
Glooms the awful face of the sea,
“Whither now can he flee?
Black through the whirling snow-flakes
Glooms the awful face of the sea,
“And tossed and torn by the tempest,
He must sink in the bitter brine!
Why could n't we pity and save him
Till the sun again should shine?”
He must sink in the bitter brine!
Why could n't we pity and save him
Till the sun again should shine?”
They drew her back to the fireside,
And laughed at her cloudy eyes,—
“What, mourn for that robber-fellow,
The cruelest bird that flies!
And laughed at her cloudy eyes,—
“What, mourn for that robber-fellow,
The cruelest bird that flies!
“Your song-sparrow hardly would thank you,
And which is the dearest, pray?”
But she heard at the doors and windows
The lashing of the spray;
And which is the dearest, pray?”
But she heard at the doors and windows
The lashing of the spray;
And as ever the shock of the breakers
The heart of their quiet stirred,
She thought, “Oh would we had sheltered him,
The poor, unhappy bird!”
The heart of their quiet stirred,
She thought, “Oh would we had sheltered him,
The poor, unhappy bird!”
Where the boats before the house-door
Are drawn up from the tide,
On the tallest prow he settles,
And furls his wings so wide.
Are drawn up from the tide,
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And furls his wings so wide.
Uprises the elder brother,
Uprises the sister too;
“Nay, brother, he comes for shelter!
Spare him! What would you do?”
Uprises the sister too;
“Nay, brother, he comes for shelter!
Spare him! What would you do?”
He laughs and is gone for his rifle.
And steadily takes his aim;
But the wild wind seizes his yellow beard,
And blows it about like flame.
And steadily takes his aim;
But the wild wind seizes his yellow beard,
And blows it about like flame.
Into his eyes the snow sifts,
Till he cannot see aright:
Ah, the cruel gun is baffled!
And the weary hawk takes flight;
Till he cannot see aright:
Ah, the cruel gun is baffled!
And the weary hawk takes flight;
And slowly up he circles,
Higher and higher still;
The fierce wind catches and bears him away
O'er the bleak crest of the hill.
Higher and higher still;
The fierce wind catches and bears him away
O'er the bleak crest of the hill.
| Poems for children | |