Poems (Campbell)/The Soldier's Widow at the Grave of her only Child

by Dorothea Primrose Campbell

THE SOLDIER'S WIDOW AT THE GRAVE OF HER ONLY CHILD.

"In vain for me may summer's glow
 Make blooming nature smile;
In vain may all the charms of spring
 Adorn our happy isle;

In vain for me may zephyrs kiss
 The lily's spotless breast;
In vain for me the blushing rose
 In beauty's garb be dress'd;

In vain for me may pebbly brooks
 And winding streamlets run;
In vain for me the rising morn,
 In vain the setting sun.

My world is yonder little grave,
 My all its narrow space;
My only child reposes there,
 Lock'd in Death's cold embrace.

Yet peace is thine, sweet innocent!
 By care nor grief oppress'd;
Thou sleep'st regardless of the pangs
 That rend thy mother's breast.

Unconscious babe! I would not wish
 Thy deep repose to break:
Better in peace to slumber there,
 Than like thy mother wake.

Sleep on, sleep on, my darling babe
 Till Heav'n's resistless voice
Shall rouse the slumb'rers of the tomb,
 And bid thy soul rejoice.

Sweet child! thine infant eyes had scarce
 Beheld life's op'ning dawn,
Than thou wert fatherless, and I
 A widow left forlorn.

Nor e'en the last sad grief was giv'n,
 His dying form to see;
He fell upon a foreign shore,
 Unwept by all but me.

Henry! thy nature suited ill
 The battle's stormy rage—
Then wherefore go, my only love,
 The bloody war to wage!

How happier I, didst thou repose
 Beside our infant son,
Than buried thus in field of strife,
 Where bloody deeds were done.

But, ah! to heav'n's eternal throne
 My ceaseless pray'r shall rise,
That yet our parted souls may meet
 In yonder blissful skies."

She paus'd—for now the glimm'ring east
 Disturb'd the friendly gloom;
Then slowly sought with bleeding heart
 Her chang'd and cheerless home.