The Child

Sara Coleridge 1802 (Keswick, Cumberland) – 1852 (London)



See yon blithe child that dances in our sight!
Can gloomy shadows fall from one so bright?
Fond mother, whence these fears?
While buoyantly he rushes o'er the lawn,
Dream not of clouds to stain his manhood's dawn,
Nor dim that sight with tears.

No cloud he spies in brightly glowing hours,
But feels as if the newly vested bowers
For him could never fade:
Too well we know that vernal pleasures fleet,
But having him, so gladsome, fair, and sweet,
Our loss is overpaid.

Amid the balmiest flowers that earth can give
Some bitter drops distil, and all that live
A mingled portion share;
But, while he learns these truths which we lament,
Such fortitude as ours will sure be sent,
Such solace to his care.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

39 sec read
33

Quick analysis:

Scheme AAXBBX CCDEED XXFGGF
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 695
Words 129
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6

Sara Coleridge

Sara Coleridge was an English author and translator. She was the third child, out of four, and only daughter of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and his wife Sara Fricker. more…

All Sara Coleridge poems | Sara Coleridge Books

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