Page:Poems Eaton.djvu/49

Come, lay your hand so gently now
 In blessing their fair heads upon,
And kiss the pure and open brow
 Of this, our lisping, youngest one,
And with a father's kindly voice,
 In pity soothe their deep distress,
And bid their sorrowing hearts rejoice—
 Deal gently with the motherless.

And when the tones of chiding fall
 So heavily upon their ear,
And from stern looks and harsher call
 They shrink away in childish fear,
Do thou support and comfort give,
 With words of love and fond caress
And ever, ever, while they live,
 Be kind unto the motherless.

And in the solemn twilight hour,
 When evening's shadows slowly fall,
And every whispered word has power
 The listener's senses to enthrall,
Teach them to seek for Gilead's balm,
 And virtue on their minds impress;
And in that holy twilight calm
 I'll join thee and thy motherless.