 | Verse in bloom |  |
81
MOTHER'S LILAC
Twenty times to-day, at fewest,
Have I left my work and room,
Just to stand beside the newest
Bunch of fragrant lilac-bloom.
Have I left my work and room,
Just to stand beside the newest
Bunch of fragrant lilac-bloom.
Twenty times to-day my worry
Vanished; and an eager child,
Listening to a voice in Surrey,
Clapped his rosy hands and smiled.
Vanished; and an eager child,
Listening to a voice in Surrey,
Clapped his rosy hands and smiled.
How my Mother loved to bring me
Where the lilac's breath was sweet,
Stoop, and gather force, and swing me
Off my pair of little feet!
Where the lilac's breath was sweet,
Stoop, and gather force, and swing me
Off my pair of little feet!
Such a Mother, true and merry,
Must have held me to the plum,
Apple, bullace, damson, cherry
When their wedding-days had come;
Must have held me to the plum,
Apple, bullace, damson, cherry
When their wedding-days had come;
Yet, in moods of recollection,
Ere the evening lamp is lit,
When her blossoms of affection
Scent my room, and hallow it,
Ere the evening lamp is lit,
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Scent my room, and hallow it,
Mother comes again and brings me
Sunshine at a darkened hour;
Stoops, and gathers force, and swings me
Only to the lilac-flower.
Sunshine at a darkened hour;
Stoops, and gathers force, and swings me
Only to the lilac-flower.
Thus the lilac will not let me
Bend for long a weary head
Over toil my duties set me
Now that labour buys the bread.
Bend for long a weary head
Over toil my duties set me
Now that labour buys the bread.
Twenty times to-day, at fewest,
Have I left my work and room,
Just to stand beside the newest
Bunch of Long Ago in bloom.
Have I left my work and room,
Just to stand beside the newest
Bunch of Long Ago in bloom.
| Verse in bloom | |