 | Solitary hours |  |
148
THE MOTHER'S LAMENT.
My child was beautiful and brave!
An opening flower of spring!
He moulders in a distant grave,
A cold forgotten thing.
Forgotten!—Ay, by all but me,
As e'en the best beloved must be—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
An opening flower of spring!
He moulders in a distant grave,
A cold forgotten thing.
Forgotten!—Ay, by all but me,
As e'en the best beloved must be—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
Methinks 't had been a comfort now
To have caught his parting breath—
Had I been near, from his damp brow
To wipe the dews of death—
With one long ling'ring kiss to close
His eyelids for the last repose—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
To have caught his parting breath—
Had I been near, from his damp brow
To wipe the dews of death—
With one long ling'ring kiss to close
His eyelids for the last repose—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
152
I little thought such wish to prove,
When, cradled on my breast,
With all a mother's cautious love
His sleeping lids I prest.
Alas, alas! his dying head
Was pillow'd on a colder bed—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
When, cradled on my breast,
With all a mother's cautious love
His sleeping lids I prest.
Alas, alas! his dying head
Was pillow'd on a colder bed—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
They told me Vict'ry's laurels wreath'd
His youthful temples round—
That “Vict'ry!” from his lips was breathed,
The last exulting sound—
Cold comfort to a mother's ear,
That long'd his living voice to hear—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
His youthful temples round—
That “Vict'ry!” from his lips was breathed,
The last exulting sound—
Cold comfort to a mother's ear,
That long'd his living voice to hear—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
E'en so thy gallant father died,
When thou, poor orphan child!
A helpless prattler at my side,
My widow'd grief beguiled.
But now, bereaved of all in thee,
What earthly voice shall comfort me?—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
When thou, poor orphan child!
A helpless prattler at my side,
My widow'd grief beguiled.
But now, bereaved of all in thee,
What earthly voice shall comfort me?—
Farewell, farewell, my dearest!
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