Thomas Campbell - Maternal Hope
Lo! at the couch where infant beauty sleeps, <br />Her silent watch the mournful mother keeps: <br />She, while the lovely babe unconscious lies, <br />Smiles on her slumb'ring child with pensive eyes, <br />And weaves a song of melancholy joy:- <br />'Sleep, image of thy father! - sleep, my boy! <br />No ling'ring hour of sorrow shall be thine, <br />No sigh that rends thy father's heart and mine. <br />Bright, as his manly sire, the son shall be, <br />In form and soul; but, ah! more blest than he! <br />Thy fame, thy worth, thy filial love, at last, <br />Shall soothe his aching heart for all the past; <br />With many a smile my solitude repay, <br />And chase the world's ungenerous scorn away. <br /> <br />'And say, when summon'd from the world and thee <br />I lay my head beneath the willow-tree, <br />And soothe may parted spirit ling'ring near? <br />Oh! wilt thou come at evening hour, to shed <br />The tears of mem'ry o'er my narrow bed; <br />With aching temples on thy hand reclined, <br />Muse on the last 'farewell!' I leave behind, <br />Breathe a deep sigh to winds that murmur low, <br />And think on all my love, and all my woe?' <br /> <br />So speaks affection, ere the infant eye <br />Can look regard, or brighten in reply; <br />But, when the cherub lip hath learn'd to claim <br />A mother's ear by that endearing name, - <br />Soon as the playful innocent can prove <br />A tear of pity, or a smile of love, <br />Or cons his murmuring task beneath her care, <br />Or lisps with holy look his evening prayer, <br />Or gazing, mutely pensive, sits to hear <br />The mournful ballad warbled in his ear, - <br />How fondly looks admiring hope the while, <br />At every artless tear, and every smile! <br />How glows the joyous parent to descry <br />A guileless bosom, true to sympathy!<br /><br />Thomas Campbell<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/maternal-hope/
