Poems (Sharpless)/Meadow Daisies

by Frances M. Sharpless

MEADOW DAISIES

You beautiful meadow daisies!
 Each with a golden heart!
 Would that mine were the art,
To worthily sing your praises!

You shine 'mid the tender grass,
 Like a laugh from dear mother earth,
 In her hours of springtide mirth,
That are sweeter that soon they pass.

As your perfect stars I see,
 Again I become a child;
 When I used to think that you smiled,
That school-term was over for me.

The sky seemed so far and blue;
 And the earth so warm and gay;
 Where the very birds were at play,
As though there was nothing to do.

But now, oh you darling flowers,
 Life's lessons are hard to ponder,
 And fain from the school would I wander,
So few are vacation hours.

And I think, through these rapid years,
 Is it still the same world as of old?
 For it seems so strange and cold,
So full of trouble and tears!

But the distant sky grows bright;
 And after a little, I'll come
 Foot-weary and worn to my Home,
Far away from earth's shadow and night.

And oh! may your bright stars cover
 My grave, when I've passed away;—
 And to hearts that have loved me, say,
"At length is her school-term over!"