Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TO MISS --, THEN TWO YEARS OLD, by JANE BOWDLER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO MISS --, THEN TWO YEARS OLD, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Sweet blossom, opening to the beams of day!
Last Line: To endless peace, and purest bliss above.
Subject(s): Aging; Babies; Gentility; Innocence; Youth; Infants


SWEET blossom, opening to the beams of day!
Dear object of affection's tender care!
For whom she gently smooths the painful way,
Inspires the anxious wish, the ardent pray'r!

How pleasing in thy infant mind to trace
The dawn of reason's force, of fancy's fire,
The soft impression of each future grace,
And all a parent's warmest hopes desire!

How sweet that smile, unknown to ev'ry art,
Inspir'd by innocence, and peace, and joy!
How pure the transports of thy guiltless heart,
Which yet no fears alarm, no cares annoy.

No airy phantoms of uncertain woe,
The blessings of the present hour allay;
No empty hopes a fancied good bestow,
Then leave the soul to real grief a prey.

Gay pleasure sparkles in thy gentle eye,
Some new delight in every scene appears;
Yet soft affection heaves a secret sigh,
And sends an anxious look to distant years.

While those dear smiles with tender love I view,
And o'er thy infant charms enraptur'd bend,
Does my fond hope a real good pursue?
And do these arms embrace a future friend?

Should heaven to me a lengthen'd date assign,
Will e'er that love thy gentle heart engage
With friendship's purest flame to answer mine,
And charm the languor of declining age?

Yet not for me these ardent wishes rise;
Beyond the limits of my fleeting years,
For thee, dear babe, my prayers ascend the skies,
And pleasing hope my anxious bosom cheers.

May innocence still guard thy artless youth,
Ere vice and folly's snares thy breast alarm,
While sweetness, modesty, and spotless truth,
Beam from thy soul, and brighten ev'ry charm!

May Heaven to thee its choicest gifts impart,
Beyond what wealth bestows, or pride pursues;
With ev'ry virtue animate thy heart,
And raise thy efforts to the noblest views.

In transport wrapt may each fond parent see
Through rising years those virtues still improve,
While every tender care now felt for thee,
Thy heart repays with never-ceasing love.

When pleasure smiles, and strews thy path with flow'rs,
And youthful fancy doubles every joy,
May brighter hopes attend thy gayest hours,
And point to bliss which time can ne'er destroy!

And when the pangs of woe thy breast must tear,
When pleasure fades, and fancy charms no more,
Still may those hopes the gloomy prospect cheer,
Unmov'd by grief, unchang'd by fortune's pow'r.

May love, esteem, and friendship, crown thy days,
With joys to guilt unknown, from doubt secure,
While heavenly truth inspires the voice of praise,
And bids that praise beyond the world endure!

Through life to virtue's sacred dictates true,
Be such thy joys as angels must approve,
Such as may lead to raptures ever new,
To endless peace, and purest bliss above.





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