Half a dozen children
At our house!
Half a dozen children
Quiet as a mouse,
Quiet as a moonbeam,
You could hear a pin—
Waiting for the party
To begin.
Such a flood of flounces!
(Oh dear me!)
Such a surge of sashes
Like a silken sea.
Little eyes demurely
Cast upon the ground,
Little airs and graces
All around.
High time for that party
To begin!
To sit so any longer
Were a sort of sin;
As if you were n’t acquainted
With society.
What a thing to tell of
That would be!
Up spoke a little lady
Aged five;
“I ‘ve tumbled up my over-dress,
Sure as I’m alive!
My dress came from Paris;
We sent to Worth for it;
Mother says she calls it
Such a fit!”
Quick there piped another
Little voice—
“I did n’t send for dresses,
Though I had my choice;
I have got a doll that
Came from Paris too;
It can walk and talk as
Well as you!”
Still, till now, there sat one
Little girl;
Simple as a snow-drop,
Without flounce or curl.
Modest as a primrose,
Soft, plain hair brushed back,
But the color of her dress was
Black—all black.
Swift she glanced around with
Sweet surprise;
Bright and grave the look that
Widened in her eyes.
To entertain the party
She must do her share,
As if God had sent her
Stood she there;
Stood a minute, thinking,
With crossed hands
How she best might meet the
Company’s demands.
Grave and sweet the purpose
To the child’s voice given:—
“I have a little brother
Gone to Heaven!”
On the little party
Dropped a spell;
All the little flounces
Rustled where they fell;
But the modest maiden
In her mourning gown,
Unconscious as a flower,
Looketh down.
Quick my heart besought her,
Silently.
“Happy little maiden,
Give, O give to me
The highness of your courage,
The sweetness of your grace,
To speak a large word, in a
Little place.”
(Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward)
More Poetry from Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward:
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward Poems based on Topics: Heaven, Flowers, Thought & Thinking, Place, Courage, Sin, Purposes, Mothers, Parties, Society & Civilization- Petronilla (Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward Poems)
- Stronger Than Death (Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward Poems)
- The Poet And The Poem (Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward Poems)
- Two Faces (Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward Poems)
- That Never Was On Sea Or Land (Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward Poems)
- Guinevere (Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Heaven Poems, Place Poems, Flowers Poems, Thought & Thinking Poems, Mothers Poems, Sin Poems, Courage Poems, Purposes Poems, Parties Poems, Society & Civilization PoemsBased on Keywords: looketh, widened, flounces, voice-, sashes, demurely, snow-drop, flounce, black-