 | Poems (1901) |  |
25
THE CHILDREN
27
BABY'S SONG
The very song the blackbird sung
When Love and all the world were young
My year-old baby sings,
Sweeter than anything with wings.
When Love and all the world were young
My year-old baby sings,
Sweeter than anything with wings.
A little song, with catch and trill
Made of few notes and little skill,
A song for dancing feet
Of babes and birds and all things sweet.
Made of few notes and little skill,
A song for dancing feet
Of babes and birds and all things sweet.
The baby dances as he sings
Sweeter than anything with wings,
And sways his golden head—
To the first song the blackbird made.
Sweeter than anything with wings,
And sways his golden head—
To the first song the blackbird made.
28
THE CHILD'S CALL
He calls with quick, insistent cry,
He calls at work or play,
And I must put my business by,
And all my books away.
He calls at work or play,
And I must put my business by,
And all my books away.
He summons me from household cares
Back to his sunny room,
And up the stairs and up the stairs
In happy haste I come.
Back to his sunny room,
And up the stairs and up the stairs
In happy haste I come.
Sweeter than lark and mavis dear,
And nightingales in May,
The little voice so shrill and clear
That I must yet obey.
And nightingales in May,
The little voice so shrill and clear
That I must yet obey.
While up the stairs and to the door
My heart runs on in glee,
I hear a voice I knew of yore
That never calls for me.
My heart runs on in glee,
I hear a voice I knew of yore
That never calls for me.
Ever through shadow-time and sun
I hear a baby call,
That is not you, my precious one,
That is not you at all.
I hear a baby call,
That is not you, my precious one,
That is not you at all.
29
Afar, where heavenly waters flow
'Mid Paradisal calms,
All on a sward where lilies blow
The Shepherd counts his lambs.
'Mid Paradisal calms,
All on a sward where lilies blow
The Shepherd counts his lambs.
Afar, beyond the wintry cold
Upon the heavenly hill,
A little lamb a few weeks old
Bleats for his mother still.
Upon the heavenly hill,
A little lamb a few weeks old
Bleats for his mother still.
O mother's love and mother's joy!
But while I come in haste,
I hear another lovely boy
Cry from the lonely past.
But while I come in haste,
I hear another lovely boy
Cry from the lonely past.
And while I kiss your curls aside
And hold you to my breast,
I kiss the little boy that died,
That will not let me rest.
And hold you to my breast,
I kiss the little boy that died,
That will not let me rest.
30
ROSA SPINOSA
Seven sad swords had Mary's heart,
Seven sad wounds to ache and smart;
That young rose, her Baby, blowing,
Put forth thorns for her undoing:
Thorns to pierce the milky breast
Where He grew and took His rest.
Seven sad wounds to ache and smart;
That young rose, her Baby, blowing,
Put forth thorns for her undoing:
Thorns to pierce the milky breast
Where He grew and took His rest.
O my rose of joy and grief,
Set with thorns in stem and leaf,
As her heart was piercèd thorough,
So my heart with love and sorrow.
Little rose of thorns, come close
To the heart you stab so, Rose!
Set with thorns in stem and leaf,
As her heart was piercèd thorough,
So my heart with love and sorrow.
Little rose of thorns, come close
To the heart you stab so, Rose!
31
THE SHADOW-CHILD
He sees his own sweet shadow fall
At evening on the lamp-lit wall,
With shrill delighted cries;
And deems another boy it is,
With small, uncertain feet like his,
That at his coming flies.
At evening on the lamp-lit wall,
With shrill delighted cries;
And deems another boy it is,
With small, uncertain feet like his,
That at his coming flies.
His own gold mop of hair so wild
Crowns with wild grace the shadow-child;
His quaint, broad shape behold!
His own dear bobbing gait he sees,
Like daisies dancing on the leas
When all the world is gold.
Crowns with wild grace the shadow-child;
His quaint, broad shape behold!
His own dear bobbing gait he sees,
Like daisies dancing on the leas
When all the world is gold.
His smock-frock to his feet is there,
As smock-frocks were your only wear.
And when kind Nurse will throw
Live rabbits on the wall, not one
But two boys clap their hands for fun
And dance to see the show.
As smock-frocks were your only wear.
And when kind Nurse will throw
Live rabbits on the wall, not one
But two boys clap their hands for fun
And dance to see the show.
Wasteful of sweets, he leans to kiss
This well-beloved playmate of his,
But lo! the boy is gone
Into the night, into the rain.
Yet see how fast he comes again,
And see how fast is flown!
This well-beloved playmate of his,
But lo! the boy is gone
Into the night, into the rain.
Yet see how fast he comes again,
And see how fast is flown!
32
BLUE EYES
The little boy we might not keep
Had such great eyes of heaven, such eyes:
Deeper than sapphires and more deep
Than any seas or skies.
Had such great eyes of heaven, such eyes:
Deeper than sapphires and more deep
Than any seas or skies.
Such eyes of wonder opened wide
On the strange world; he drank his fill,
While other babies slept and cried,
Of wonder, wondering still.
On the strange world; he drank his fill,
While other babies slept and cried,
Of wonder, wondering still.
“What is it that he sees?” we said,
And followed in the wonder's track.
But when the little one was dead
That wondering gaze came back.
And followed in the wonder's track.
But when the little one was dead
That wondering gaze came back.
O are you wondering, wondering still?
For now you see such wondrous things,
Such angels by the field and rill,
With wondrous head and wings.
For now you see such wondrous things,
Such angels by the field and rill,
With wondrous head and wings.
O are you wondering, wondering yet,
At the kind breast you lie upon,
And the kind eyes that once were wet
For a most holy Son?
At the kind breast you lie upon,
And the kind eyes that once were wet
For a most holy Son?
33
Our little boy with wondering eyes,
I wonder will they wonder still,
Or meet our own with no surprise
When we come over the hill!
I wonder will they wonder still,
Or meet our own with no surprise
When we come over the hill!
34
THE ONLY CHILD
Lest he miss other children, lo!
His angel is his playfellow.
A riotous angel two years old,
With wings of rose and curls of gold.
His angel is his playfellow.
A riotous angel two years old,
With wings of rose and curls of gold.
There on the nursery floor together
They play when it is rainy weather,
Building brick castles with much pain,
Only to knock them down again.
They play when it is rainy weather,
Building brick castles with much pain,
Only to knock them down again.
Two golden heads together look
An hour long o'er a picture-book,
Or, tired of being good and still,
They play at horses with good will.
An hour long o'er a picture-book,
Or, tired of being good and still,
They play at horses with good will.
And when the boy laughs you shall hear
Another laughter silver-clear,
Sweeter than music of the skies,
Or harps, or birds of Paradise.
Another laughter silver-clear,
Sweeter than music of the skies,
Or harps, or birds of Paradise.
Two golden heads one pillow press,
Two rosebuds shut for heaviness.
The wings of one are round the other
Lest chill befall his tender brother.
Two rosebuds shut for heaviness.
The wings of one are round the other
Lest chill befall his tender brother.
35
All day, with forethought mild and grave,
The little angel's quick to save.
And still outruns with tender haste
The adventurous feet that go too fast.
The little angel's quick to save.
And still outruns with tender haste
The adventurous feet that go too fast.
From draughts, from fire, from cold and stings,
Wraps him within his gauzy wings;
And knows his father's pride, and shares
His happy mother's tears and prayers.
Wraps him within his gauzy wings;
And knows his father's pride, and shares
His happy mother's tears and prayers.
36
TOBY'S HAIR
Brown as salmon streams that hold
Wanton sunbeams in their snare,
Bronze, and powdered through with gold—
Toby's hair.
Wanton sunbeams in their snare,
Bronze, and powdered through with gold—
Toby's hair.
Swarms of dancing fireflies bright
Shed on bracken, everywhere,
Till the dark is starred with light—
Toby's hair.
Shed on bracken, everywhere,
Till the dark is starred with light—
Toby's hair.
Sparks upon a fire of peat
Make a delicate flight in air,
So with sudden life is lit
Toby's hair,
Make a delicate flight in air,
So with sudden life is lit
Toby's hair,
Silk and soft and fairy-spun,
Such gold-brown as pansies wear.
See, it gathers all the sun,
Toby's hair!
Such gold-brown as pansies wear.
See, it gathers all the sun,
Toby's hair!
37
THE VANE
The East Wind stays and stays,
Unkind to man and beast;
I had not known in the old days
If it was West or East.
Unkind to man and beast;
I had not known in the old days
If it was West or East.
But Love has bid me learn
What winds be kind, be keen,
And how the glittering vane will turn
The chimney-pots between.
What winds be kind, be keen,
And how the glittering vane will turn
The chimney-pots between.
The East Wind blows and blows,
Too rough for a gold head,
Harsh for a little human rose,
All rosy-white and red.
Too rough for a gold head,
Harsh for a little human rose,
All rosy-white and red.
Pack, East Wind, and be off,
Back to your arid plain,
And bid the West the children love
Turn round the gilded vane!
Back to your arid plain,
And bid the West the children love
Turn round the gilded vane!
38
THE NEW NURSE
When other children shut their eyes
The sick child coughs and weeps alone,
And Nanna, Nanna, Nanna, cries,
Because the nurse he loved is gone.
Between the coughing, with new hope
Watches the door she will not ope.
The sick child coughs and weeps alone,
And Nanna, Nanna, Nanna, cries,
Because the nurse he loved is gone.
Between the coughing, with new hope
Watches the door she will not ope.
Between the coughing listens keen
For feet upon the nursery stair.
The nursery hearth is bright and clean,
The walls have pictures rich and rare.
Alas, the little luckless wight,
Whose world has gone to pieces quite!
For feet upon the nursery stair.
The nursery hearth is bright and clean,
The walls have pictures rich and rare.
Alas, the little luckless wight,
Whose world has gone to pieces quite!
Alack, the dear remembered head,
Black on its pillow through the year!
The terrible stranger wears instead
Light hair. O Nanna, Nanna dear,
Where do you hide through his alarms
Your comfortable breast and arms?
Black on its pillow through the year!
The terrible stranger wears instead
Light hair. O Nanna, Nanna dear,
Where do you hide through his alarms
Your comfortable breast and arms?
Alone with her the long night through
And ill—could anything be worse?
No goblin's grimmer in his view
Than this cold, patient, stranger nurse.
But though he calls for Nanna still,
No Nanna comes nor ever will.
And ill—could anything be worse?
No goblin's grimmer in his view
Than this cold, patient, stranger nurse.
But though he calls for Nanna still,
No Nanna comes nor ever will.
39
HIS KNOWLEDGE
“No one will love you if you're naughty,” said
His nurse, demure and chill.
The Three-years Wisdom shook his bird-bright head,
And answered, “Mother will.”
His nurse, demure and chill.
The Three-years Wisdom shook his bird-bright head,
And answered, “Mother will.”
He built a castle of his bricks the while,
Poised tower and bastion still;
As one who suffers Folly with a smile,
He answered, “Mother will.”
Poised tower and bastion still;
As one who suffers Folly with a smile,
He answered, “Mother will.”
40
“ADVENIAT REGNUM TUUM”
Thy kingdom come! Yea, bid it come.
But when Thy kingdom first began
On earth, Thy kingdom was a home,
A child, a woman, and a man.
But when Thy kingdom first began
On earth, Thy kingdom was a home,
A child, a woman, and a man.
The child was in the midst thereof,
O, blessed Jesus, holiest One!
The centre and the fount of love
Mary and Joseph's little Son.
O, blessed Jesus, holiest One!
The centre and the fount of love
Mary and Joseph's little Son.
Wherever on the earth shall be
A child, a woman, and a man,
Imaging that sweet trinity
Wherewith Thy kingdom first began,
A child, a woman, and a man,
Imaging that sweet trinity
Wherewith Thy kingdom first began,
Establish there Thy kingdom! Yea,
And o'er that trinity of love
Send down, as in Thy appointed day,
The brooding spirit of Thy Dove!
And o'er that trinity of love
Send down, as in Thy appointed day,
The brooding spirit of Thy Dove!
41
SHADOW
His sunshine lies upon my path,
Its glory bathes me every place.
Who talked of trouble and of death
In this sweet world that knows his face?
Its glory bathes me every place.
Who talked of trouble and of death
In this sweet world that knows his face?
His shadow lies upon my heart,
And where I go runs on before;
Its ghostly presence never apart
Darkens my threshold, bars my floor.
And where I go runs on before;
Its ghostly presence never apart
Darkens my threshold, bars my floor.
Child, what have I done, to bear
Such weight of Love and its annoy?
For still the shadow shape of Fear
Outruns the hurrying feet of Joy.
Such weight of Love and its annoy?
For still the shadow shape of Fear
Outruns the hurrying feet of Joy.
42
THE NURSE
Such innocent companionship
Is hers, whether she wake or sleep,
'Tis scarcely strange her face should wear
The young child's grave and innocent air.
Is hers, whether she wake or sleep,
'Tis scarcely strange her face should wear
The young child's grave and innocent air.
All the night long she hath by her
The quiet breathing, the soft stir,
Nor knows how in that tender place
The children's angels veil the face.
The quiet breathing, the soft stir,
Nor knows how in that tender place
The children's angels veil the face.
She wakes at dawn with bird and child
To earth new-washed and reconciled,
The hour of silence and of dew,
When God hath made His world anew.
To earth new-washed and reconciled,
The hour of silence and of dew,
When God hath made His world anew.
She sleeps at eve, about the hour
Of bedtime for the bird and flower,
When daisies, evening primroses,
Know that the hour of closing is.
Of bedtime for the bird and flower,
When daisies, evening primroses,
Know that the hour of closing is.
Her daylight thoughts are all on toys
And games for darling girls and boys,
Lest they should fret, lest they should weep,
Strayed from their heavenly fellowship.
And games for darling girls and boys,
Lest they should fret, lest they should weep,
Strayed from their heavenly fellowship.
43
She is as pretty and as brown
As the wood's children far from town,
As bright-eyed, glancing, shy of men
As any squirrel, any wren.
As the wood's children far from town,
As bright-eyed, glancing, shy of men
As any squirrel, any wren.
Tender she is to beast and bird,
As in her breast some memory stirred
Of days when those were kin of hers
Who go in feathers and in furs.
As in her breast some memory stirred
Of days when those were kin of hers
Who go in feathers and in furs.
A child, yet is the children's law,
And rules by love and rules by awe.
And, stern at times, is kind withal
As a girl-baby with her doll.
And rules by love and rules by awe.
And, stern at times, is kind withal
As a girl-baby with her doll.
Outside the nursery door there lies
The world with all its griefs and sighs,
Its needs, its sins, its stains of sense:
Within is only innocence.
The world with all its griefs and sighs,
Its needs, its sins, its stains of sense:
Within is only innocence.
44
TALISMAN
All Heaven in my arm.
The child for a charm
'Gainst fear and 'gainst sorrow,
To-day and to-morrow.
The child for a charm
Betwixt me and harm.
The child for a charm
'Gainst fear and 'gainst sorrow,
To-day and to-morrow.
The child for a charm
Betwixt me and harm.
O mouth, full of kisses!
Small body of blisses!
Your hand on my neck
And your cheek to my cheek.
What shall hurt me or harm
With all Heaven in my arm?
Small body of blisses!
Your hand on my neck
And your cheek to my cheek.
What shall hurt me or harm
With all Heaven in my arm?
45
MATERNITY
Her body, sweet to be his food,
Yields him his precious milk and good.
No body of death but life, see then
The sacred body of Motherhood!
Yields him his precious milk and good.
No body of death but life, see then
The sacred body of Motherhood!
Her heart, by one sweet guest renewed,
Hath room for all earth's hapless brood.
Yea, wounds for all earth's hurt children,
The broken heart of Motherhood!
Hath room for all earth's hapless brood.
Yea, wounds for all earth's hurt children,
The broken heart of Motherhood!
| Poems (1901) | |