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25
A NIGHT THOUGHT
Now a million nurseries are
Each in sight of Heaven a star,
Bright with fire and candlelight
In the world's else murky night.
Each in sight of Heaven a star,
Bright with fire and candlelight
In the world's else murky night.
In a million little beds
Golden heads are sleepy heads.
Fathers, mothers, leaning look,
One small face their heavenly book.
Golden heads are sleepy heads.
Fathers, mothers, leaning look,
One small face their heavenly book.
Men and women lean above,
Silent in a trance of love;
Sin nor selfishness may come
Straying in this halidom.
Silent in a trance of love;
Sin nor selfishness may come
Straying in this halidom.
Children white and children brown,
In the country, in the town,
In hot deserts, in the cold,
Keep the world from growing old.
In the country, in the town,
In hot deserts, in the cold,
Keep the world from growing old.
Now the mother-Esquimaux
In the ice-fields, by the floe,
Clasps her furry babe from harms,
Rocks all heaven in her arms.
In the ice-fields, by the floe,
Clasps her furry babe from harms,
Rocks all heaven in her arms.
26
Indian mothers sit and sing
To each golden baby thing,—
Some old sleepy song was sung
First when the old world was young.
To each golden baby thing,—
Some old sleepy song was sung
First when the old world was young.
Chinese children, little moons,
Turn life's discords into tunes;
Babies black on Afric's strands
Smile: Time's sands are golden sands.
Turn life's discords into tunes;
Babies black on Afric's strands
Smile: Time's sands are golden sands.
God looks down well pleased to mark
In earth's dusk each rosy spark,
Lights of home and lights of love,
And the child the heart thereof.
In earth's dusk each rosy spark,
Lights of home and lights of love,
And the child the heart thereof.
Parents kneel at evenfall,
And one prayer the prayer of all:
“Strike me if Thou wilt, Thy clod,
So the child goes safe, dear God!”
And one prayer the prayer of all:
“Strike me if Thou wilt, Thy clod,
So the child goes safe, dear God!”
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