Poem by Edward Rowland Sill

To Child Sara

I LOOKED in a dew-drop's heart to-day
As it clung on a leaf of clover,
Holding a sparkle of starry light,
Like a liquid drop of opal bright
With diamond dusted over.

In that least globe of quivering dew
The sunny scene around,
Diminished to a grass-blade's width--
Scarcely a fairy's finger-breadth
All imaged there I found:

The spreading oak, the fir's soft fringe,
The grain-field's brightening green,
The linnet that flew fluttering by,
And, over all, the dear blue sky,
The bending boughs between:

And all the night, as from its nest
It gazes up afar,
Its bosom holds the heavens deep,
Whose constellations o'er it sweep,
And mirrors every star.

Child, is the drop of dew--your soul--
With mirrored heaven as bright?
(Forgive me that I ask of you,
Whose heart I know is pure and true
And stainless as the light):

The sunshine, and the starlight too,--
Fair hope, and fair as fair,
Courage, and patience, silent power,
And wisdom for each troubled hour,--
Tell me, are they all there?

Your quiet grace and kindly words
Have influence sweet and strong;
Your hand and voice can calm the brain
And cheer the heavy hearts of men
With music and with song:

Let the soul answer--can it give
That music clear and calm--
The rhythmic years, the holier aim,
The scorn of pleasure, fortune, fame--
To make our life a psalm?

All round the house, your birthday morn
The budded orchards stand;
And we can watch from every room
The trees all blushing into bloom--
Blossoms on every hand:

So may your Life be, many a year,
A fair and goodly tree;
Not blossoming only, but sublime
With fruit, so hastening the time
When Earth shall Eden be.

1. Among the Redwoods
2. Roland
3. A Paradox
4. Five Lives
5. To the Unknown Soul

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