Ballads for the Times (Now first collected,) Geraldine, A Modern Pyramid, Bartenus, A Thousand Lines, and other poems. By Martin F. Tupper. A new Edition, enlarged and revised |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
A Call to poor Sempstresses.
|
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
 | Ballads for the Times |  |
263
A Call to poor Sempstresses.
Daughters of poverty, jaded and ill,
So vainly prolonging the strife,
How scarce for to-day, the day's task to fulfil,
And, as for to-morrow, despondingly still
In dread of the battle of life,—
So vainly prolonging the strife,
How scarce for to-day, the day's task to fulfil,
And, as for to-morrow, despondingly still
In dread of the battle of life,—
Toiling in pain for a pittance of bread,
Or starving, with nothing to do,
Friendless, and fever'd in heart and in head,
And longing for rest to lie down with the dead,
—A word, my poor sisters, with you!
Or starving, with nothing to do,
Friendless, and fever'd in heart and in head,
And longing for rest to lie down with the dead,
—A word, my poor sisters, with you!
There is a fair land in a sweet southern clime,
Another young England indeed,
Which God, in His providence working sublime,
Has kindly reserved till the fulness of time,
To succour His children in need;
Another young England indeed,
Which God, in His providence working sublime,
Has kindly reserved till the fulness of time,
To succour His children in need;
A happy new home, which He wills you to seek,
With plenty to have and to spare,
And hope in your bosom, and health on your cheek,
And human affections all eager to speak
Of tenderness waiting you there!
With plenty to have and to spare,
And hope in your bosom, and health on your cheek,
And human affections all eager to speak
Of tenderness waiting you there!
The valleys are rich, and the mountains are green,
And the woods in magnificent state
To the distant horizon o'ershadow the scene,
Where never till now Adam's footstep has been,
And Eve is delaying so late.
And the woods in magnificent state
To the distant horizon o'ershadow the scene,
Where never till now Adam's footstep has been,
And Eve is delaying so late.
264
Then, haste for your happiness,—joyfully haste
From perils and pains to be free;
For, Providence calls you to gladden the waste,
And freedom, and plenty, and pleasure to taste
In homes that are over the sea.
From perils and pains to be free;
For, Providence calls you to gladden the waste,
And freedom, and plenty, and pleasure to taste
In homes that are over the sea.
| Ballads for the Times | |