Pebbles and Shells (Hawkes collection)/The Sunbeam and the Shadow

by Clarence Hawkes

THE SUNBEAM AND THE SHADOW

A sunbeam from the source of light
Came flashing down to earth,
His face was fair, his eyes were bright,
His heart was full of mirth.

Right joyfully the sunbeam came
To swell the perfect day,
Yet where he fell, it was a shame,
Dark shadows round him lay.

"Why come you here?" a shadow cried,
And on him darkly frowned,
"This is our only place to hide
For many miles around."

"I come to cheer each lonely place
And turn the dark to day,
To light a smile on sorrow's face
And drive its gloom away."

"Poor foolish thing," the shadow said,
"Earth is no place for day,
Her life is dark and cold and dread,
You know not what you say.

"I cover up its want and woe
And wrap the earth in sleep,
That none may see and none may know
What countless millions weep."

The merry little sunbeam laughed,
"That is not right," he said,
"I've seen the smart of sorrow's shaft,
I dry their tears instead.

Earth hath her sorrows and her joys,
Her sunshine and her rain,
But love is worth all life's alloys,
Its pleasure worth its pain."

And then the sunbeam shone so bright
Upon his happy way,
He pierced the shadow with his light
And frightened him away.