Poems (Sharpless)/The Two Smiles
THE TWO SMILES
She smileth as the little children do: So full of happiness, so free from thought, That the bright smile forth-springeth, over-fraughtWith all the bliss of love while yet 'tis new.Years over-roll her, and their lessons teach Of patience, sorrow, and yet bitterer woe— Of hours that every human heart must know,Heavy with agony beyond our speech;And passionate longings deepen to content, So she submitteth where she cannot rule, An humble scholar in Life's rigid school;She hath still kept one smile where'er she went,Not the bright glory of that earlier ray,But a glad sunset to a changeful day.