Poems (Barker)/In Memory of Little Alvin

by Alice J. Green Barker

In Memory of Little Alvin.

Darling Alvin, precious Alvin,
Taken from us in an hour,
Swept from earth, and all his loved ones,
By the dread destroyer's power.
O! my precious little darling,
He was mine but yesterday—
Now his little hands are folded
O'er a breast of pulseless clay.

Oh! the loving little fingers,
Oh! the sightless little eyes!
Will they ever watch for mamma!
In that land beyond the skies.
Oh, my baby! oh, my treasure!
I can never give you up,
Take me too, my Heavely Father,
I have drained life's bitterest cup.

Take me to my little idol
Let me hear his voice once more,
Let me kiss the lips so loving,
Open wide the golden door!
I must go to him, and kiss him,
He will miss me so, I know,
Hush this bleeding heart's quick beating!
Heavenly Father let me go.

Hush a moment! mourning mother,
Let me take your gentle hand,
Let me open wide the curtain
Which obscures the Heavenly land!
See those forms of wonderous beauty,
Kneeling round a little child,
Fair and spotless—oh how perfect,
It has never been defiled.

Hear the songs that they are chanting,
See them crown his little brow,
Mourning softly "Alvin darling
Thou shall know no sorrow now."
Slowly now we drop the curtain,
O'er our spirits, steals a spell,
Something seems to whisper gently
"Weep no more, for all is well."