Poems (Hornblower)/Verses (I stood beside a death-bed scene—a mother bent and wept)

by Jane Elizabeth Roscoe Hornblower

For works with similar titles, see Verses.

VERSES.

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I stood beside a death-bed scene—a mother bent and wept,
But deep within her breaking heart a deathless faith she kept;
She gazed upon her little one, so beautiful and still,
And humbly tried to yield him up unto her Maker's will;
She bent and kissed his pallid brow, she joined her hands in prayer,
And then I knew the Christian's hope had surely entered there.

I stood beside a bridal band, and all was gay and bright,
In opening youth and radiant bloom, that bride was a fair sight:
She gave her hand, she gave her trust, she gave her sacred vow,
But not a change of feeling crossed the calmness of her brow:
Yet she had broke another's hope, and left the true and tried,
And made herself a sacrifice to splendor and to pride.

I saw a lone and wretched hut, and it looked cold and poor,
An aged and a helpless form sat shivering at the door;
Her fire was low, her comforts few, I looked with pity there,
And thought to see a face cast down with sadness and despair;
Her eye was bright, her smile was kind, and as she worked she sung,
And cheered herself with hymns of praise, as slow she crept along.

And then I felt that life was not what it might seem to lie:
That faith and patience are sweet fruits, that spring from misery;
And that the Christian's glorious hope can brighten every scene,
And, in the dark and anguished hour,shed gleams of joy between.
The mother had a hope in death—the lonely one was blest,
But the bride, in all her splendor, had not found the Christian's rest.