And Other Poems.
89
“Dear father, I remember him; the morning he came here
You kissed myself and Amy, and we christened him New Year;
The church bells rang a merry peal, and filled our hearts with glee—
And little Amy laughed;—but now she’s gone from you and me.
You said that mother called her to the land beyond the stars,
Where angels paint the silver clouds, and forge the golden bars
That gird the sun at eventide:—but New Year must have known
That Amy meant to leave us here in sorrow all alone.”
You kissed myself and Amy, and we christened him New Year;
The church bells rang a merry peal, and filled our hearts with glee—
And little Amy laughed;—but now she’s gone from you and me.
You said that mother called her to the land beyond the stars,
Where angels paint the silver clouds, and forge the golden bars
That gird the sun at eventide:—but New Year must have known
That Amy meant to leave us here in sorrow all alone.”
“My darling boy, the New Year has a mission to fulfil—
Our Supreme Master sent him here to do His holy will;
With smiles for some, and tears for more—’tis sinful to complain,
For pleasure would engender pride unless subdued by pain.
If yon bright orb shone constantly, and never hid his light,
We’d soon get weary of his rays, and wish for sable night;
If those sweet roses blooming in the garden ne’er decayed,
Their fragrance would be wasted, and their loveliness would fade.”
Our Supreme Master sent him here to do His holy will;
With smiles for some, and tears for more—’tis sinful to complain,
For pleasure would engender pride unless subdued by pain.
If yon bright orb shone constantly, and never hid his light,
We’d soon get weary of his rays, and wish for sable night;
If those sweet roses blooming in the garden ne’er decayed,
Their fragrance would be wasted, and their loveliness would fade.”
“But, father, I am thinking still that New Year was to blame;
Deceitful smiles were on his face the morning that he came.
Deceitful smiles were on his face the morning that he came.
