Desponding Father! mark this altered bough, So beautiful of late, with sunshine warmed, Or moist with dews; what more unsightly now, Its blossoms shrivelled, and its fruit, if formed, Invisible? yet Spring her genial brow Knits not o'er that discolouring and decay As false to expectation. Nor fret thou At like unlovely process in the May Of human life: a Stripling's graces blow, Fade and are shed, that from their timely fall (Misdeem it not a cankerous change) may grow Rich mellow bearings, that for thanks shall call: In all men, sinful is it to be slow To hope''"in Parents, sinful above all. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A PORTRAIT by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING LORD WALTER'S WIFE by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE: 1 by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING SONNET: DANTE (2) by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW LAVENDER'S BLUE (1) by MOTHER GOOSE WORK by ALEKSANDR SERGEYEVICH PUSHKIN CUSTER'S LAST CHARGE [JUNE 25, 1876] by FREDERICK WHITTAKER |