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Various
Devotional Poetry for the Children
THE SEA SHELL
There is found a tiny sea shell,
Half-imbedded in the sand,
Sometimes flashing in the moonlight,
Like a diamond on the strand.
And from out the winding chambers
That are hid within the shell,
Ever steals a curious music,
That doth never sink nor swell.
But, like the far-off voice of ocean,
Murmurs forth its monotone,
Holding thus within its bosom
E’er an ocean of its own.
Thus the sea shells ever gather
Little oceans in their breasts,
Which do echo there for ever
Ocean’s hymn, which never rests.
Thus the soul will echo music,
Born in heaven, and not of earth;
And give praises all, for ever,
To the One that gave it birth.
GOD IS GOOD
Morn amid the mountains,
Lovely solitude,
Gushing streams and fountains,
Murmur, “God is good.”
Now the glad sun, breaking,
Pours a golden flood;
Deepest vales awaking,
Echo, “God is good.”
Wake and join the chorus,
Man with soul endued!
He, whose smile is o’er us,
God, – our God, – is good.
DESPISE NOT SIMPLE THINGS
Despise not simple things:
The humblest flower that wakes
In early spring, to scent the air
Of woodland brakes,
Should have thy love as well
As blushing parlor rose,
That never felt the perfect breath
Of nature round it close.
Despise not simple things:
The poor demand thy love,
As well as those who in the halls
Of splendor move.
The beggar at thy door
Thou shouldst not e’er despise;
For that may be a noble heart
Which ’neath his tatters lies.
Despise not little things:
An ant can teach of toil;
The buttercup can light the heart
With its own pleasant smile;
’Tis not from towering heights alone
The noble thought within us springs;
There’s something holy and sublime
In the love of simple things.
THE VIOLET
“Oh, mother! mother! only look!
See what I’ve got for thee;
I found it close beside the brook, —
This pretty violet, – see.
“And father says there will be more
So, mother, when they come,
We’ll pick my little basket full,
And bring them with us home.
“And, mother, – only listen now!
’Tis very strange, indeed, —
This pretty flower, with leaves and all,
Was once a little seed.
“When it was planted in the ground,
The sun shone very bright,
And made the little seed so warm,
It grew with all its might.”
“Yes, Charles: the bright sun made it warm,
’Twas wet with rain and dew;
The leaves came first, and then, ere long,
We found the violet blue.
“Charley, I think when we are good,
Obedient, and kind,
Good feelings, like the little flowers,
Are growing in the mind.
“But when we suffer evil thoughts
To grow and flourish there,
Then they are like the noxious weeds,
That choke the flowerets fair.”
CHILD’S TALENT
God intrusts to all
Talents, few or many;
None so young or small,
That they have not any.
Though the great and wise
May have more in number,
Yet my own I prize,
And they must not slumber.
Little drops of rain.
Bring the springing flowers;
And I may attain
Much by little powers.
Every little mite,
Every little measure,
Helps to spread the light,
Helps to swell the treasure.
THE STARS ARE COMING
“See, the stars are coming
In the far blue skies;
Mother, look! they brighten;
Are they angels’ eyes?”
“No, my child; the lustre
Of the stars is given,
Like the hues of flowers,
By the God of heaven.”
“Mother, if I study,
Sure He’ll make me know
Why the stars He kindled,
O’er our earth to glow?”
“Child! what God created,
Has a glorious aim;
Thine it is to worship, —
Thine to love His name.”
THE FLOWERS
God might have made the earth bring forth
Enough for great and small,
The oak tree and the cedar tree,
Without a flower at all.
He might have made enough, – enough
For every want of ours, —
For luxury, medicine, and food,
And yet have made no flowers.
Then wherefore, wherefore were they made,
And dyed with rainbow light,
All fashioned with supremest grace,
Upspringing day and night.
In fertile valleys, green and low,
And on the mountains high,
And in the silent wilderness,
Where no one passes by.
Our outward life requires them not, —
Then wherefore had they birth?
To minister delight to man,
And beautify the earth.
To comfort man, – to whisper hope,
Whene’er his faith is dim;
For He, who careth for the flowers,
Will surely care for him.
LITTLE BY LITTLE
One step, and then another,
And the longest walk is ended;
One stitch and then another,
And the largest rent is mended
One brick upon another,
And the highest wall is made;
One flake upon another,
And the deepest snow is laid.
So the little coral workers,
By their slow, but constant, motion,
Have built those pretty islands
In the distant, dark blue ocean;
And the noblest undertakings
Man’s wisdom hath conceived,
By oft-repeated efforts
Have been patiently achieved.
NEVER, MY CHILD, FORGET TO PRAY
Never, my child, forget to pray,
Whate’er the business of the day;
If happy dreams have blessed thy sleep,
Or startling fears have made thee weep.
With holy thoughts begin the day,
And ne’er, my child, forget to pray;
Ask Him, by whom the birds are fed,
To give to thee thy daily bread.
If wealth her bounty should bestow,
Praise Him from whom all blessings flow;
If He, who gave, should take away,
Never, my child, forget to pray.
The time will come, when thou wilt miss
A father’s and a mother’s kiss;
And then, my child, perchance thou’lt see,
Some who, in prayer, ne’er bend the knee;
From such examples turn away,
And ne’er, my child, forget to pray.
THE CHILD’S PRAYER
I am a very little child,
Yet God, who dwells above,
Will hear me, if I rightly pray,
And answer me in love.
Heavenly Father! wilt thou bless
My father and my mother;
And also bless my sister dear;
And bless my baby brother.
Forgive me, if I’ve been to-day
A very naughty child;
And teach me how I may become
A boy both good and mild.
And keep me out of every ill;
And teach me how to pray,
That I may be a better child
On every coming day.