He was a little heir of shame - his birth Announced by peevish voices, and his death Welcomed by all; he staid not long on earth, Nor vex'd them long with his fast-fleeting breath; He felt their blows, too young to feel their scorn; How that poor babe was beaten and reviled, Because, albeit so mischievously born, He wail'd as loudly as a lawful child! They hurried to the goal his faltering pace; Full soon they bore him to his mother's grave; No more for other's sin accounted base, In Paradise he shows his harmless face; The Saviour flinches not from his embrace, But gives him all his infant-heart can crave. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE PLAYERS ASK FOR A BLESSING ON THE PSALTERIES AND ON THEMSELVES by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS THE OVIDIAN ELEGIAC METRE, DESCRIBED AND EXEMPLIFIED by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE KNOWLEDGE by HENRY DAVID THOREAU HILL MAN'S BURIAL by LILLIAN M. (PETTES) AINSWORTH BLACK GIRL by ASCLEPIADES OF SAMOS THE ORIGIN OF SONG-WRITING by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD SOLILOQUIES OF A SMALL-TOWN TAXI-DRIVER: ON THE WRITING OF POETRY by EDGAR BARRATT |