Poems for Children Sigourney/The Infant's Prayer
The Infant's Prayer.
A very young and lovely child in New-York, was found in prayer by her bed-side, for her little sick cousin. She was not able to say plainly, Elizabeth, which was the name of her dear playmate. So her prayer was, "please God, let Lilly live."
These two sweet children died within a short time of each other, of the same disease. It was the will of their Father in heaven, that they should live together with him.
The West had shut its gate of gold
Upon the parted sun,
And through each window's curtaining fold
Lamps glimmer'd one by one;
And many a babe had gone to rest,
And many a tender mothers breast
Still lull'd its darling care,
When in a nursery's quiet bound,
With fond affections circled round,
I heard an infant's prayer.
Yes, there it knelt,—its cherub face
Uprais'd with earnest air;
And well devotion's heaven-born grace
Became a brow so fair;
But seldom at our Father's throne
Such blest and happy child is known
So painfully to strive;
For long with tearful ardor fraught,
That supplicating lip besought,—
"Please God, let Lilly live,"
And still the imploring voice did flow
That little couch beside,
As if for "poor sick Lilly's" wo,
It could not be denied;
Even when the balm of slumber stole
With soothing influence o'er the soul,
Like moon-light o'er the stream,
The murmuring tone, the sobbing strife,
The broken plea for Lilly's life,
Mix'd with the infant dream.
So Lilly liv'd.—But not where time
Is measur'd out by woes;
Not where cold winter chills the clime,
Or canker eats the rose;
And she, who for that darling friend
In agonizing love did bend
To pour the simple prayer,—
Safe from the pang, the groan, the dart,
That wound the mourning parent's heart,
Lives with her Lilly there.