Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PHASES OF GIRLHOOD, by JANET HAMILTON Poet's Biography First Line: With fondest love and sweetest pleasure Last Line: He still preserves my virtuous girl. Alternate Author Name(s): Hamilton, Janet Thompson Subject(s): Aging; Babies; Girls; Growth; Mothers & Daughters; Virtue; Infants | ||||||||
WITH fondest love and sweetest pleasure Gaze I on my infant treasure My sweetest rose, my purest pearl, Heaven's latest gift, my baby girl. Opening wide her violet eyes With a wondering, sweet surprise, Gazing in my smiling face, Nestled in my soft embrace, With her rose-tipped fingers straying O'er my breast, or sportive playing With my falling tangled hair: Tender love and anxious care Ever shield from pain and peril Mother's pet, her baby-girl. A babe no more: a lovely child, With soft blue eyes and features mild, With prattling tongue and nimble feet, And silvery voice as music sweet Nature has been very kind To my darling; from her mind, Stored with sparkling gems of thought, On her lisping tongue are brought To my ears, and she will ask Questions that will sometimes task Me to give, as she desired, Answers such as were required. Mother's will is still her law, Bonds of sweet affection draw To my heart and hold her there, With earnest prayer and loving care, And trust in God from sin and peril, To guard and shield my little girl. Now my girl must go to school, Be subject to her teacher's rule; At home were trained the budding beauties Of her mindher moral duties. Well she knows her gentle heart Is tender, true, and void of art; On that mind so pure and good, May never evil thoughts intrude; In that loving little heart May never shame or grief have part; In that motley congregation A common schoolcontamination From falsehood, evil words, and strife, Sully the streams of youthful life From every ill that would infect Her mind, may God my child protect; And much may she, my darling daughter, Profit by the knowledge taught her. When school she leaves, be still my pearl, An innocent and happy girl. My girl is but a workman's child, And so not Miss but Maggie styled. At school four years has been at most, And now she leavesnot for the cost, For that is smallat home she's wanted; A little colony is planted Upon the hearth and round the table. There's more to do than mother's able To perform, and Maggie's clever And now is done with school for ever. She now is set to washing, scrubbing, Baking, cooking, wringing, rubbing; Nursing little sis or brother To relieve poor, weary mother. Time goes on, now Maggie's tall, Very pretty, too, withal; Getting forward with her teens, Knows not yet what wooing means. All too soon shall Maggie know The hopes, the doubts, the bliss, the woe Of love. Oh! may good angels guard, And virtue have its full reward. Thank God, from sin, from shame, and peril, He still preserves my virtuous girl. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A POET TO HIS BABY SON by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON BABYHOOD by ELIZABETH AKERS ALLEN INFANCY by EDMUND JOHN ARMSTRONG BALLAD OF THE LAYETTE by WAYNE KOESTENBAUM A TOAST FOR LITTLE IRON MIKE by PAUL MARIANI THE PAMPERING OF LEORA by THYLIAS MOSS ONE FOR ALL NEWBORNS by THYLIAS MOSS IN THE THRIVING SEASON by LISEL MUELLER A BALLAD FOUNDED ON A REAL INCIDENT WHICH OCCURED IN HIGH LIFE by JANET HAMILTON |
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