To Our Etty.
Our life of sad colours1
Is woven to-day ;2
The rose-hues it shewed once3
Give place to dull gray ;4
Ah, Etty, small darling,5
God’s pity weaves through6
Its dark web of sorrow7
A gold thread in you,8
The dearest, the brightest, that time ever knew.9
Your babblings of gladness,10
Your sparkles of words,11
To us are as sunbeams12
And singings of birds ;13
O bright-lighted wavelet,14
Dance on in our sight ;15
O pinked apple-blossom,16
Make sunshine more bright ;17
Fill night with dear dreamings, and day with delight !18
You rainbow, bright gleaming,19
Against our dark fears—20
You small glory made up21
Of sunshine and tears—22
You tiniest of Aprils,23
With eyes, glad or wet,24
Great gift of God’s goodness,25
With you we forget26
That life can have worry—that older eyes fret.27
The gladness of fondness28
What care can refuse29
To each inch of our small one,30
From gold curls to shoes !31
What heart can remember32
Its sorrows and sighs33
Within sound of that small laugh,34
Or gaze of those eyes,35
With their baby-love, sinlessness, mirth, and surprise !36
Could we will the future—37
To know you as now,38
With cheeks ever dimples,39
No line on your brow,40
With sorrows so fleeting,41
So sunned-through with mirth,42
Your life should seem touched with43
No care of the earth ;44
Dear God, to our hearts, what were that blessing worth !45