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| ONE kiss, my boy upon thy cheek, | |
| That cheek so young and bright, | |
| And once again I ’d hear thee speak | |
| Thy softly lisp’d “good night.” | |
| Then rest, and not a shade of earth | 5 |
| Can cloud thy slumbers fair; | |
| Dark dreams from worldly cares have birth, | |
| And thou hast nought of care. | |
| O why might not life’s silver tide | |
| With thee thus ever smoothly glide! | 10 |
| |
| Who gazes on the bloom of May, | |
| Nor sighs that all will wither? | |
| And yet the blossoms must decay | |
| Ere we the fruit may gather; | |
| And life’s sweet morning buds of joy | 15 |
| Like spring-flowers soon depart; | |
| And thou must change, yet wear, my boy, | |
| Life’s freshness in thy heart. | |
| Pure feelings, like the flower’s perfume, | |
| Embalm the memory of its bloom. | 20 |
| |
| Man’s lot, dominion o’er the earth, | |
| Maketh his sinews strong, | |
| And that proud lot will lead thee forth | |
| All ardent ’mid the throng. | |
| Life’s onward path is wrapp’d in night, | 25 |
| And dangers are its fame; | |
| Ambition holds an eagle flight, | |
| And spurns at quiet’s name, | |
| And pleasure’s siren songs entice, | |
| And flowers conceal the precipice. | 30 |
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| O! wilt thou wander then, my boy?— | |
| Away! ye idle fears,— | |
| Why shroud our sun of present joy | |
| In clouds of future years? | |
| There ’s One will watch thee though I sleep | 35 |
| Where morning never shone; | |
| There ’s One thy faltering steps can keep, | |
| Wouldst thou His voice were known? | |
| Then list amid the world’s wide din | |
| The still, small voice thy heart within. | 40 |
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