George Darley

Lenimina Laborum. 44. On a Child

The Daughter of Hon. Mrs. R. Westenra.

Cherub! that from thy own Heaven seem'st to borrow
The lovely blue that gleams in thy young eyes,
Why art thou here in this dim vale of sorrow,
This earth, so far beneath thy kindred skies?

To show what innocent, bright, happy creatures.
Circle with smiles like thine the eternal throne,
To tell mankind by what angelic features
The children of Heaven's kingdom may be known.

And yet, for all the cherub that's within thee,
Sorrow may wait upon thy coming years,
Deceit may to destruction strive to win thee,
And mortal pain may cause thee human tears.

Ah! be thy woes the lightest can befall thee,
Let "Sinless" still be written on thy brow;
And when thy sister spirits heaven-ward call thee.
Be still as fit for Paradise as now.