Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON WITNESSING A BAPTISM, by NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON WITNESSING A BAPTISM, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: She stood up in the meekness of a heart
Last Line: In leading its young spirit up to god.
Subject(s): Baptism; Christenings


SHE stood up in the meekness of a heart
Resting on God, and held her fair young child
Upon her bosom, with its gentle eyes
Folded in sleep, as if its soul had gone
To whisper the baptismal vow in heaven.
The prayer went up devoutly, and the lips
Of the good man glow'd fervently with faith
That it would be, even as he had pray'd,
And the sweet child be gather'd to the fold
Of Jesus. As the holy words went on
Her lips moved silently, and tears, fast tears,
Stole from beneath her lashes, and upon
The forehead of the beautiful child lay soft
With the baptismal water. Then I thought
That, to the eye of God, that mother's tears
Would be a deeper covenant -- which sin
And the temptations of the world, and death,
Would leave unbroken -- and that she would know
In the clear light of heaven, how very strong
The prayer which press'd them from her heart had been
In leading its young spirit up to God.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net