| Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867. | | | | II. Domestic | | By Benjamin Penhallow Shillaber (1814–1890) |
| | | IT smiles! Around its dimpling mouth see play | |
| The first glad token of a dawning love, | |
| Like the bright glow of newly-wakening day, | |
| Or some new glory breaking from above. | |
| It smiles! O rapture! and the mother’s heart | 5 |
| Beats with quick pleasure its bright gleam to see, | |
| Springing from dawning consciousness, whose part | |
| In after years her crowning joy may be. | |
| There ’s not a bright creation under heaven, | |
| There ’s not a pure in heaven or in earth, | 10 |
| There ’s not an ecstasy to mortals given, | |
| There ’s not a thing of most exalted worth, | |
| Can, in a mother’s plenitude of joy, | |
| Excel that first smile of her darling boy! | | | | |
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