The Home Book of Verse Volume I Part 57

Give me a cheek that's like the peach, Two arms to clasp me from the cold; And all my heaven's within my reach, Just four years old.

Dear G.o.d, You give me from Your skies A little paradise to hold, As Mary once her Paradise, Just four years old.

Katherine Tynan Hinkson [1861-1931]

A CHILD'S LAUGHTER

All the bells of heaven may ring, All the birds of heaven may sing, All the wells on earth may spring, All the winds on earth may bring All sweet sounds together; Sweeter far then all things heard, Hand of harper, tone of bird, Sound of woods at sundawn stirred, Welling water's winsome word, Wind in warm, wan weather.

One thing yet there is, that none, Hearing ere its chime be done, Knows not well the sweetest one Heard of man beneath the sun, Hoped in heaven hereafter; Soft and strong and loud and light, Very sound of very light, Heard from morning's rosiest height, When the soul of all delight, Fills a child's clear laughter.

Golden bells of welcome rolled Never forth such note, nor told Hours so blithe in tones so bold, As the radiant mouth of gold Here that rings forth heaven.

If the golden-crested wren Were a nightingale--why, then Something seen and heard of men Might be half as sweet as when Laughs a child of seven.

Algernon Charles Swinburne [1837-1909]

SEVEN YEARS OLD

Seven white roses on one tree, Seven white loaves of blameless leaven, Seven white sails on one soft sea, Seven white swans on one lake's lea, Seven white flowerlike stars in Heaven, All are types unmeet to be For a birthday's crown of seven.

Not the radiance of the roses, Not the blessing of the bread, Not the breeze that ere day grows is Fresh for sails and swans, and closes Wings above the sun's grave spread When the starshine on the snows is Sweet as sleep on sorrow shed.

Nothing sweeter, nothing best, Holds so good and sweet a treasure As the love wherewith once blest Joy grows holy, grief takes rest, Life, half tired with hours to measure, Fills his eyes and lips and breast With most light and breath of pleasure;

As the rapture unpolluted, As the pa.s.sion undefiled, By whose force all pains heart-rooted Are transfigured and trans.m.u.ted, Recompensed and reconciled, Through the imperial, undisputed, Present G.o.dhead of a child.

Brown bright eyes and fair bright head, Worth a worthier crown than this is, Worth a worthier song instead, Sweet grave wise round mouth, full fed With the joy of love, whose bliss is More than mortal wine and bread, Lips whose words are sweet as kisses.

Little hands so glad of giving, Little heart so glad of love, Little soul so glad of living, While the strong swift hours are weaving Light with darkness woven above, Time for mirth and time for grieving, Plume of raven and plume of dove.

I can give you but a word Warm with love therein for leaven, But a song that falls unheard Yet on ears of sense unstirred Yet by song so far from Heaven, Whence you came the brightest bird, Seven years since, of seven times seven.

Algernon Charles Swinburne [1837-1909]

CREEP AFORE YE GANG

Creep awa', my bairnie, creep afore ye gang, c.o.c.k ye baith your lugs to your auld Grannie's sang: Gin ye gang as far ye will think the road lang, Creep awa', my bairnie, creep afore ye gang.

Creep awa', my bairnie, ye're ower young to learn To tot up and down yet, my bonnie wee bairn; Better creepin' cannie, than fa'in' wi' a bang, Duntin' a' your wee brow,--creep afore ye gang.

Ye'll creep, an' ye'll hotch, an' ye'll nod to your mither, Watchin' ilka step o' your wee dousy brither; Rest ye on the floor till your wee limbs grow strang, An' ye'll be a braw chiel yet,--creep afore ye gang.

The wee birdie fa's when it tries ower soon to flee, Folks are sure to tumble, when they climb ower hie; They wha canna walk right are sure to come to wrang, Creep awa', my bairnie, creep afore ye gang.

James Ballantine [1808-1877]

CASTLES IN THE AIR

The bonnie, bonnie bairn who sits poking in the ase, Glowering in the fire wi' his wee round face, Laughing at the fuffin' lowe--what sees he there?

Ha! the young dreamer's bigging castles in the air.

His wee chubby face and his touzie curly pow Are laughing and nodding to the dancing lowe; He'll brown his rosy cheeks, and singe his sunny hair, Glowering at the imps wi' their castles in the air.

He sees muckle castles towering to the moon; He sees little sodgers pu'ing them a' doun; Warlds whommlin' up and doun, bleezing wi' a flare,-- See how he loups as they glimmer in the air!

For a' sae sage he looks, what can the laddie ken?

He's thinking upon naething, like mony mighty men: A wee thing mak's us think, a sma' thing mak's us stare,-- There are mair folk than him bigging castles in the air.

Sic a night in winter may weel mak' him cauld: His chin upon his buffy hand will soon mak' him auld; His brow is brent sae braid--O pray that daddy Care Wad let the wean alane wi' his castles in the air!

He'll glower at the fire, and he'll keek at the light; But mony sparkling stars are swallowed up by Night: Aulder e'en than his are glamored by a glare,-- Hearts are broken, heads are turned, wi' castles in the air.

James Ballantine [1808-1877]

UNDER MY WINDOW

Under my window, under my window, All in the Midsummer weather, Three little girls with fluttering curls Flit to and fro together:-- There's Bell with her bonnet of satin sheen, And Maud with her mantle of silver-green, And Kate with her scarlet feather.

Under my window, under my window, Leaning stealthily over, Merry and clear, the voice I hear Of each glad-hearted rover.

Ah! sly little Kate, she steals my roses; And Maud and Bell twine wreaths and posies, As merry as bees in clover.

Under my window, under my window, In the blue Midsummer weather, Stealing slow, on a hushed tiptoe, I catch them all together:-- Bell with her bonnet of satin sheen, And Maud with her mantle of silver-green, And Kate with her scarlet feather.

Under my window, under my window, And off through the orchard closes; While Maud she flouts, and Bell she pouts, They scamper and drop their posies; But dear little Kate takes naught amiss, And leaps in my arms with a loving kiss, And I give her all my roses.

Thomas Westwood [1814?-1888]

LITTLE BELL He prayeth well who loveth well Both man and bird and beast.

The Ancient Mariner

Piped the blackbird on the beechwood spray "Pretty maid, slow wandering this way, What's your name?" quoth he-- "What's your name? Oh stop and straight unfold, Pretty maid with showery curls of gold,"-- "Little Bell," said she.