Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, LINES TO A YOUNG MOTHER, by CHARLES SPRAGUE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LINES TO A YOUNG MOTHER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Young mother! What can feeble friendship say
Last Line: And laid my first-born in the silent tomb.
Subject(s): Death - Children; Mothers; Death - Babies


YOUNG mother! what can feeble friendship say,
To soothe the anguish of this mournful day?
They, they alone whose hearts like thine have bled,
Know how the living sorrow for the dead;
Each tutored voice, that seeks such grief to cheer,
Strikes cold upon the weeping parent's ear;
I've felt it all — alas! too well I know
How vain all earthly power to hush thy woe!
God cheer thee, childless mother! 't is not given
For man to ward the blow that falls from Heaven.

I've felt it all — as thou art feeling now;
Like thee, with stricken heart and aching brow,
I've sat and watched by dying Beauty's bed,
And burning tears of hopeless anguish shed;
I've gazed upon the sweet, but pallid face,
And vainly tried some comfort there to trace;
I've listened to the short and struggling breath;
I've seen the cherub eye grow dim in death;
Like thee, I've veiled my head in speechless gloom,
And laid my first-born in the silent tomb.





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