Читать книгу By the Sea, and Other Verses - Baily Hannah Lavinia - Страница 6

Six-and-thirty little mortals

Coming to be taught;

And mine that most "delightful task

To rear the tender thought."

Merry, mischief-loving children,

Thoughtless, glad and gay,

Loving lessons – "just a little,"

Dearly loving play.

Six-and-thirty souls immortal,

Coming to be fed;

Needing "food convenient for them,"

As their daily bread.

Bright and happy little children,

Innocent and free,

Coming here their life-long lessons

Now to learn of me.

Listen to the toilsome routine,

List, and answer them,

For these things who is sufficient

'Mong the sons of men?

Now they, at the well-known summons,

Cease their busy hum;

And, some with pleasure, some reluctant,

To the school-room come.

Comes a cunning little urchin

With defiant eye,

"Making music" with his marbles

As he passes by.

But, alas! the pretty toys are

Taken from him soon,

And the music-loving Willie

Strikes another tune!

Comes a lisping little beauty,

Scarce five summers old;

Baby voice and blue eyes pleading,

"Please, misth, I'm stho cold!"

Little one, the world is chilly,

All too cold for thee;

From its storms "Our Father" shield thee,

And thy refuge be.

While I turn to caution Johnny

Not to make such noise;

Mary parses: "Earth's an adverb,

In the passive voice."

Well, indeed, it must be passive,

Else it is not clear

How such open language-murder,

Goes unpunished here.

"Second Reader Class" reciting —

"Lesson verse or prose?"

None in all the class is certain;

Each one thinks he knows.

"Well," is queried then, "the difference

Who can now define?"

Answers Rob: "In verse they never

Finish out the line!"

Boy, thy thought doth strangely thrill me,

And as hours roll on,

Hears my heart a solemn query:

Is my day's work done?

Do I make of this my life-task

Prose or idle rhyme?

Do I in the sight of Heaven

Finish out the line?

Oh, it is "too fine a knowledge"

For our mortal sight,

All these restless little creatures

How to lead aright.

He who prayeth while he worketh,

Taking lessons still

Of the Friend of little children,

Learning all His will;

He alone can walk before them

Worthily and well;

He alone of life's strange language

Can the meaning tell.

May I then with heart as tender

As a little child

Lead my flock; and Father, keep them

Pure and undefiled.