There's a kind of morning prayer In the air That recalls the song and praise Of other days, And the lilacs all in bloom, And the sunny breakfast-room -- Open windows to the ground All around; Lawns a-glitter with the dew, Scents from many a field and flower In that early, quiet hour Greeted you. For, in coming down the stairs You could smell delicious airs -- The whole country-place seemed theirs; Were they creeping in to prayers, Or passing through, Or visiting the vases freshly set On the mantel, in the corner cabinet? Was it lilies, was it pinks or mignonette? What they were I'll hardly say -- Roses, roses anyway! I smell them yet. Just a morn like this, and then Came the maids (there were no men) One or two Decent maids; then jolly children not a few. And with shuffling of the chairs They prepared the place for prayers, Romping through; And scarcely grew more tame When the silent moment came. For they knew When Grandpapa appeared He was little to be feared By the crew. And their mothers were in bed. (For surely for such notions As family devotions There's little to be said.) So the ancient prayers were read By that brilliant-eyed old man, Full of reverence, full of grace, To the children of his clan In the quaint old country-place That had nursed the elder race With its bloom. And he kneeled where they had kneeled, And the odors of the field Filled the room. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...QUEST by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON TO W.P.: 2 by GEORGE SANTAYANA THE CHINESE LAUNDRYMAN by KAREN SWENSON THE JACQUERIE: SONG. THE HOUND by SIDNEY LANIER THIRTY EIGHT. ADDRESSED TO MRS. H -- Y. by CHARLOTTE SMITH THE POET'S SPEAR by ARCHILOCHUS A SPRING CAROL by ADRA CAROLINE BATCHELDER PSALM 88 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE DEDICATION OF THE DESIGNS TO BLAIR'S GRAVE: TO THE QUEEN by WILLIAM BLAKE |