 | Moral songs |  |
THE SKYLARK'S NEST.
We rolled the green turf in the spring,
Within our garden ground;
We rolled it with the roller stone,
So large, and smooth, and round.
Within our garden ground;
We rolled it with the roller stone,
So large, and smooth, and round.
We passed the roller up and down,
We passed it to and fro,
And crushed the little daisy buds,
And laid the clover low.
We passed it to and fro,
And crushed the little daisy buds,
And laid the clover low.
There in the turf her lowly nest
Had made a skylark shy,
Where she could stoop her weary wing,
From her blue path on high.
Had made a skylark shy,
Where she could stoop her weary wing,
From her blue path on high.
She laid her spotted eggs therein,
She brought her nestlings out,
There was she sitting snug, as we
The great stone rolled about.
She brought her nestlings out,
There was she sitting snug, as we
The great stone rolled about.
She saw it coming heaving on,
With her bright restless eye.
Why did she not with wings outspread
Soar up into the sky?
With her bright restless eye.
58
Soar up into the sky?
She saw it moving heavily,
Fast throbbed her little breast;
Oh, miracle of mother's love,
Still sat she on the nest.
Fast throbbed her little breast;
Oh, miracle of mother's love,
Still sat she on the nest.
Wide, wide she spread her soft brown wings,
Down, down she crushed her head,
The roller great passed over her,
We thought that she was dead.
Down, down she crushed her head,
The roller great passed over her,
We thought that she was dead.
For still she lay, her head pressed down,
And did not move or start,
With all her little nestlings pressed
Close, close into her heart.
And did not move or start,
With all her little nestlings pressed
Close, close into her heart.
Till scared at last, the two brown wings
Rose with a whirring loud,
Up, up she went and floated soon,
A speck upon the cloud.
Rose with a whirring loud,
Up, up she went and floated soon,
A speck upon the cloud.
We watched her fading from our sight,
And thought there could not be
A fairer type of constant love,
And wise humility.
And thought there could not be
A fairer type of constant love,
And wise humility.
For love doth hold the thing beloved
Dear as its proper life,
And lowliness doth bend and yield,
When gather wrath and strife.
Dear as its proper life,
And lowliness doth bend and yield,
When gather wrath and strife.
59
O Christian child, within thy heart
Still nurse unselfish love,
That shall thy soul to tender thought,
And generous action move.
Still nurse unselfish love,
That shall thy soul to tender thought,
And generous action move.
And still be lowly—bow thy head,
Let wanton pride pass o'er,
The heart that's meek and humble here
Hereafter high shall soar.
Let wanton pride pass o'er,
The heart that's meek and humble here
Hereafter high shall soar.
| Moral songs | |