I HEARD her crying in the night, -- So long, so long I lay awake, Watching the moonlight ebb and break Against the sill like waves of light. I tried to close my eyes nor heed And lie quite still -- but oh, again The little voice of fright and pain Sobbed in the darkness of her need. Strange shadows led me down the stair; Creaked as I went the hollow floor; I drew the bolts and flung the door Wide, wide and softly called her there. @3Ah me, as happy mothers call Through tender twilights to the gay, Glad truant making holiday Too long beyond the evenfall.@1 The garden odors drifted through, The scent of earth and box and rose, And then, as silently as those, A little wistful child I knew. So small, so frightened and so cold, Ah, close, so close I gathered her Within my arms, she might not stir, And crooned and kissed her in their hold. @3As might a happy mother, when, Aghast for some quaint, trifling thing, One runs to her for comforting, And smiles within her arms again.@1 All night upon my heart she lay, All night I held her warm and close, Until the morning wind arose And called across the world for day. The garden odors drifted through The open door; as still as they She passed into the awful day, A little, wistful child I knew. Think you for this God's smile may dim (His are so many, many dead) Seeing that I but comforted A child -- and sent her back to Him! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BEFORE THE BIRTH OF ONE OF HER CHILDREN by ANNE BRADSTREET ON A CARRIER WHO DIED OF DRUNKENNESS by GEORGE GORDON BYRON MIDNIGHT ON THE GREAT WESTERN by THOMAS HARDY SONG AT THE FEAST OF BROUGHAM CASTLE; UPON RSTORATION OF LORD CLIFFORD by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH LINES WRITTEN IN LADY'S ALBUM OF DIFFERENT-COLOURED PAPER by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD WORLD-MILLER by FRANCES BARBER |