A little shoe, a little glove- The shattered idol of our love Then does one chance, in fancy, hear, To consecrate it with a tear, And deck it with a flower. Who can predict the future, Kate- Who knows the solemn laws of fate, That govern all creation? Who knows what lot awaits your boy Of happiness or sorrow? Sufficient for to-day is joy, Leave tears, Sweet, for to-morrow! Joseph Ashby-Sterry [18 THE FIRSTBORN So fair, so dear, so warm upon my bosom, Sleep on, my little bird, my lamb, my blossom; What is it God hath given me to cherish, Dear Lord, 'tis wonderful beyond all wonder, No Baby in the House Flesh of my flesh, and yet so subtly linking There life began, and here it links with heaven, And nearer to God's Throne. Seen, held in arms and clasped around so tightly,— Mine, Lord, all mine Thy gift and loving token. Mine by the chain of love with links unbroken, John Arthur Goodchild [1851 NO BABY IN THE HOUSE No baby in the house, I know, No finger-marks are on the panes, No grimy fingers to be washed; No stories to be told; 23 No tender kisses to be given; No nicknames, "Dove" and "Mouse"; No merry frolics after tea, No baby in the house! Clara Dolliver [18 OUR WEE WHITE ROSE From "The Mother's Idol Broken' ALL in our marriage garden Sucked the green warmth of the sod; O, beautiful unfathomably Its little life unfurled; And crown of all things was our wee From out a balmy bosom Our bud of beauty grew; With mystical faint fragrance Upon the petals of our wee White Rose of all the world. But evermore the halo Of angel-light increased, Like the mystery of moonlight That folds some fairy feast. 'Baby Sleeps" Snow-white, snow-soft, snow-silently Our darling bud uncurled, And dropped in the grave-God's lap-our wee Our Rose was but in blossom, With holy dews impearled!" You scarce could think so small a thing 25 Gerald Massey [1828-1907] INTO THE WORLD AND OUT INTO the world he looked with sweet surprise; Into the world a rosy hand in doubt He reached a pale hand took one rosebud out. "And that was all-quite all!" No, surely! But The children cried so when his eyes were shut. Sarah M. B. Piatt [1836 "BABY SLEEPS" She is not dead, but sleepeth.-LUKE Viii. 52. THE baby wept; The mother took it from the nurse's arms, And hushed its fears, and soothed its vain alarms, Again it weeps, And God doth take it from the mother's arms, From present griefs, and future unknown harms, And baby sleeps. Samuel Hinds [1793-1872] BABY BELL I HAVE you not heard the poets tell How came the dainty Baby Bell The gates of heaven were left ajar: She saw this planet, like a star, Hung in the glistening depths of even— She touched a bridge of flowers—those feet, They fell like dew upon the flowers: II She came and brought delicious May; Like sunlight, in and out the leaves |