Poems (Edwards)/The Dying Mother
For works with similar titles, see The Dying Mother.
THE DYING MOTHER.
She had been like an angel watching o'erHer little ones around her, day by day,And, night by night, she bore them up to heavenUpon the wings of prayer. She was to them as the!Bright sunlight warming into lifeThe summer flowers. Existence seemed to herA tenfold blessing, when their bird-like tonesAnd wild and silv'ry laughter met her ear;And when she looked into their clear blue eyes,And felt their warm hearts beating close to hers,Life seemed to her a glory. And she bentFondly above them, till the gushing tearWould steal from 'neath her eyelids, and her heartWent up in thankful gladness unto HimWho gave them to her keeping. It was night;The pale moon cast upon the sleeping earthHer mellow light, and hill and valley gleamedWith unearthly beauty. Rock and treeAnd winding streamlet glittered in her rays,Till every scene that met the gazer's eyeWas full of beauty, radiant and pure.Within a lighted chamber, where the breezeCame through an open window, slept the formOf this devoted Mother. Dire diseaseHad laid his hand upon her, and her browWith death's cold dew was moistening, and her heartHad almost ceased its throbbing.Soft o'er her bed the tender watchers bentTo catch her dying whispers. She awoke,And, gazing on her loved ones with a smileOf calm, angelic sweetness, softly sighed,—"Bring to me now my children. Death comes onAnd life is fast departing. On my browI feel its cold dews falling, and this heartWill soon have ceased its beating. Heaven appearsIn all its radiant glory, and my soul Longs to be gone from earthly things, and beA dweller with its Saviour." One by one,They brought her children to her, and 'twas sadTo see how tenderly they clung to her,And called her "Mother." Ah! they little knewThat love like hers could vanish. Their young heartsHad never known a sorrow; and they stoodSmiling around her bedside, as if deathHad there no entrance. Gently to her sideThe mother drew her children; and, looking up,She laid her hand upon each little head,With her last blessing; and with her latest breath,She gave them to God's keeping, breathing outHer struggling spirit in the strongest prayer.
"Father," (she said,) "These little lambs I give unto thy care; O! be Thou at all times very near, When I am dead.
Thou, who hast been The guardian of my footsteps, Thou wilt be A guardian to the babes I leave with Thee, Keeping them from sin.
Farewell! farewell! Ye precious lov'd ones! I am going home To a bright land beyond the silent tomb, In endless rest to dwell.
Children, I go; The tender love that watched you day by day Is passing from you silently away; Ye will not know How fondly I have loved you, till I'm gone, And you are left an orphan band, alone To struggle on below.
Remember me When I am here no longer, when this frame Has mouldered into dust, oh! let my name Still sacred be.
Come to my grave When daylight is departing, when each star Is casting down its radiance there; When zephyrs wave The bending trees above me, seek the spot Where sleeps your mother, and forget me not.
Heaven bless you all! Ye lights of my existence, on my ear, In far off whispers joyfully I hear The angels call.
I must away, The time of my departure is at hand; I go, I go, to join the angel band, In endless day."
Softly and sadly in each mourner's heart,Her low-toned voice came stealing. On the heads Of the young beings who around her stoodIn breathless sorrow, tenderly she laidHer wasted hands; and, with a mother's loveGushing from her full heart, she passed into"The spirit land."