Ah, but I have a charm to trouble you ; – A grace as wild, - my little yearling daugh ter, My Alison. Heed well that threat ; bubbled; troubled ! The heart, the bright unmothering heart of you, That never knew, (O never, more than mine of long ago. ness ? — that grope The upward paths of hope ? stir ways; When the endearing air That everywhere Must twine and fold and follow her, shall be Rippled to ring on ring of melody,-Music, like shadows from the joy of her, Small starry Reveller! When from her triumphings, All frolic wings — There soars beyond the glories of the height, The laugh of her delight. And it shall sound, until And all your glory, O most swift and sweet! You that must ever pass, - Josephine Preston Peabody CHILDREN'S KISSES So; it is nightfall then. The valley flush and men, Is hardly spent. Down the bright pathway winds, through veils of hush And wonderment. Unuttered yet, the chime The trees are sweetly troubled with bright words From new-alighted birds; And yet, Here, round my neck, are come to cling and twine, The arms, the folding arms, close, close and fain, All mine! I pleaded to, in vain, I reached for, only to their dimpled scorning, Down the blue halls of Morning; mirth, A wilding skylark, sudden dropt to earth Along the last low sunbeam yellow moted, Athrob with joy, Closer than homing lambs against the bars At folding-time, that crowd, all mother warm, They crowd,- they cling, they wreathe; And thick as sparkles of the thronging stars, Their kisses swarm. O Rose of being, at whose heart I breathe, a Josephine Preston Peabody MATERNAL GRIEF DEPARTED CHILD! I could forget thee once Though at my bosom nursed; this woeful gain Thy dissolution brings, that in my soul |