A baby girl not two years old among the phlox and pansies stands, and full of flowers as they can hold her mother fills her little hands and bids her cross to where I stay within my garden's fragrant space and guides her past the poppies gay 'mid mazes of the blooming place saying: "Go carry Thea these." Delighted, forth the baby fares between the fluttering-winged sweet peas; her treasured buds she safely bears. Tis but a step, but oh what stress of care. What difficulties wait. How many pretty dangers press upon the path from gate to gate! But high above her sunny head she tries the roses, sweet to hold— now caught in coreopsis red, half wrecked upon a marigold, or tangled in a cornflower tall, or hindered by the poppy tops— she struggles on, nor does she fall, nor stalk nor stem her progress stops until at last, the trials past, victorious o'er the path's alarms, herself, her flowers, and all are cast breathless into my happy arms. My smiling, rosy little maid— And while her joy-flushed cheek I kiss and close to mine its bloom is laid I think, "So may you find your bliss my precious. When in coming years life's path grows a bewildering maze, so may you conquer doubts and fears and safely thread its devious ways and find yourself all dangers past, clasped to a fonder breast than mine, and gain your heavenly joy at last safe in the arms of love divine." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FONTENOY, 1745: 2. AFTER THE BATTLE, EARLY DAWN, CLARE COAST by EMILY LAWLESS CITY ROOFS by CHARLES HANSON TOWNE IL PLEUT DOUCEMENT SUR LA VILLE by PAUL VERLAINE THE VIERZIDE CHAIRS by WILLIAM BARNES IDYLL 15. THE EPITHALAMIUM OF ACHILLES AND DEIDAMIA by BION HOMUNCULUS IN PENUMBRA by GORDON BOTTOMLEY |