Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MOTHER'S SONGS, by FRANK BARBOUR COFFIN



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MOTHER'S SONGS, by                    
First Line: The summer's sun was beaming hot
Last Line: The boy long years ago.
Subject(s): Mothers


The summer's sun was beaming hot,
The boys had played all day;
And now beside a rippling stream,
Upon the grass they lay.

Tired of games and idle jest,
As swept the hours along,
They called on one who mused at times,
"Come pard, give us a song."

"I fear I cannot please," he said,
"The only songs I know
Are those my mother used to sing
To me long years ago."

"Sing one of those," a rough voice said,
"There's none but true men here;
To ev'ry mother's son of us
A mother's song is dear."

Then sweetly rose the singer's voice,
Amid unwonted calm:
"Am I a soldier of the cross
A follower of the lamb."

"And shall I fear to own his cause"
Every heart seemed stilled,
And hearts that never throbbed with fear,
With tender thoughts were filled.

As the singer closed he said,
"Boys, we must face the foes"
Then thanking them for their invite
Upon his feet he rose.

"Sing us one more," the young men said,
The singer hung his head,
Then glancing 'round with smiling lips,
"You'll join with me," he said.

We'll sing that old familiar air,
Sweet as the bugle call;
"All hail the power of Jesus name,
Let Angels prostrate fall."

And wondrous was the old tune's spell,
As on the singer sang;
Man after man fell into line,
And loud their voices rang.

One cried out "my mother sings
'Just as I am though tossed about;'"
And the crowd picked up the anthem --
"With many a conflict, many a doubt."

The next said "I seem to hear,
'It's rock of ages cleft for me,'"
And the boys joined in with feeling
"Let me hide myself in thee."

Another said "I'm an outcast,
But when I've nowhere to roam,
I think of mother and the city
Which, long since she's made her home."

The next one said with tearful eyes
"My mother's in eternity,
Her song was 'O rock of ages
In thy cleft hide thou me.'"

Hush'd are her lips, the song's ended,
The singer sleeps at last;
While I sit here in deep wonder,
And think of days, long past.

The room still echoes with music,
As singing soft and low,
Those grand sweet Christian carols,
They rock her to and fro.

Safe hidden in the "Rock of Ages"
She bade farewell to fear;
Sure that her Lord'd always lead her
"She read her title clear."

Dear Saint in mansions long folded,
Safe in God's fostering love,
She joins in the blissful chorus,
Of those bright choirs above.

There she knows not pain, nor sorrow,
Safe beyond Jordan's roll
She lives with her blessed Jesus
The lover of her soul.

These boys are men, the stream still runs,
Those songs, they still are heard;
And oh! the depth of every soul,
By those old hymns is stirred.

And up from many a bearded lip,
In whispers soft and low;
Rises the songs the mother taught
The boy long years ago.





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