Poems (Dunn)/My Sister

by Sarah Jane Dunn

MY SISTER.

ID you ever see her—
 The little fairy sprite,
Who came glancing through the household
 Like a ray of golden light;
Never weary, until eve
 Threw its purple shadows o'er us,
And her good-night kiss she gave?
Did you ever see her,
 With her floating curly hair,
As she gladly ran to meet us,
 Looking like a rosy fair?
As she greeted us with kisses,
 "Twas the sweetest welcome home;
To hear her bird-voice lisping,
 "Oh, I am so glad you've come!"

And did you ever see her,
 With her eyes of bonnie blue?
They were sometimes fill'd with tear-drops,
 Live daisies wet with dew.
Often they were laughing, dancing,
 Shining, twinkling, bright with mirth,
As she told some little story
 Of her kittens on the hearth.

And you did not see her
 When those pattering feet were still,
When the little hands were folded,
 Not by their sweet owner's will;
When the eyes were closed so gently,
 And the soft and curly hair
By the hands of friends was parted
 From her forehead pure and fair?
And you did not see her
 When they closed the coffin lid,
And our little fairy darling
 From our sight for ever hid?
With her going went our sunlight,
 From that hour 'tis ever gone;
Can we say, with truth and calmness,
 Not our will, "but Thine be done?"