WHY, Parents, do your sorrowing sighs
Pursue your treasure to the skies?
Why do your thoughts still sadly trace
The beauties of his infant face,
While Fancy (drown’d in tears the while)
Still feeds upon his living smile,
Or bends to meet the sweet caress,
Dear pledge of infant tenderness?
Ah! dry your tears! your sighs restrain,
For know, the promise was not vain
If mortal beauty deck’d his brow
While yet ye held him here below,
Uplift your thoughts! Behold him shine
In grace ineffable, divine!
Say, did his artless smile bespeak
A spotless spirit, bright, yet meek?
That transient smile of earthly bliss
Is fix’d in endless happiness!
That smile, no cloud of grief shall chase
For ever from the angel face!
The little tongue’s imperfect frame,
Which scarce could lisp the filial claim,
Now, to the Eternal Father pays
Loud hymns of worship and of praise!
Still weep ye? No! Your tongues would fain
Unite with his the grateful strain,
To bless the care which snatch’d him hence,
While safe in infant innocence;
Nor, in the world, allow’d him time
To know that sorrow dwells with crime.
(Margaret Holford)
More Poetry from Margaret Holford:
Margaret Holford Poems based on Topics: Mind, Smiling, Happiness, World, Eternity, Parents, Grief, Angels, Promise, Praise, Innocence- The Past (Margaret Holford Poems)
- Ode To Time (Margaret Holford Poems)
- Experience To The Poet (Margaret Holford Poems)
- Dedication. To my Mother (Margaret Holford Poems)
- Ode To Genius (Margaret Holford Poems)
- To Miss Gertrude Louisa Allen (Margaret Holford Poems)