Poems (Sharpless)/Little Nellie

by Frances M. Sharpless

LITTLE NELLIE

Little Nellie—blue-eyed Nellie,
 Sitting by the river-side,
Flinging lilies in the water,
 Laughing at them as they glide—
  With a heart so pure and sweet
  That thy emblem seems most meet,
  In the lilies at thy feet.

Little Nellie—fair-haired Nellie,
 Half a child, and half a maid,
With the artless grace of girlhood
 Blending with a graver shade.
  Oh! fair Nellie, life for thee
  Seems as fair as fair can be,—
  And thy eyes but sunshine see.

For thy path is sheltered close
 'Neath the fond paternal roof;
And thy saddest sorrow now
 Is thy mother's mild reproof—
  Cling thou close unto the nest,
  That for thee has so much rest—
  Lean upon thy mother's breast.

Never shalt thou find a love
 Half as generous, half as pure;
Mid the storms, the coming storms,
 It shall be a post secure.
  Strew thy lilies on the tide—
  Let them scatter far and wide,
  But do thou at home abide.