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1835
THE CHILD'S FUNERAL
by William Cullen Bryant
THE CHILD'S FUNERAL -
Fair is thy sightSorrentogreen thy shore
Black crags behind thee pierce the clear blue skies;
The seawhose borderers ruled the world of yore
As clear and bluer still before thee lies. -
Vesuvius smokes in sightwhose fount of fire
Outgushingdrowned the cities on his steeps;
And murmuring Naplesspire o'ertopping spire
Sits on the slope beyond where Virgil sleeps. -
Here doth the earthwith flowers of every hue
Prank her green breast when April suns are bright;
Flowers of the morning-redor ocean-blue
Or like the mountain-frost of silvery white. -
Currents of fragrancefrom the orange tree
And sward of violetsbreathing to and fro
Mingleandwandering out upon the sea
Refresh the idle boatsman where they blow. -
Yet even hereas under harsher climes
Tears for the loved and early lost are shed;
That soft air saddens with the funeral-chimes
Those shining flowers are gathered for the dead. -
Here once a childa smiling playful one
All the day long caressing and caressed
Died when its little tongue had just begun
To lisp the names of those it loved the best. -
The father strove his struggling grief to quell
The mother wept as mothers use to weep
Two little sisters wearied them to tell
When their dear Carlo would awake from sleep. -
Within all inner room his couch they spread.
His funeral-couch; with mingled grief and love
They laid a crown of roses on his head
And murmured"Brighter is his crown above." -
They scattered round himon the snowy sheet
Laburnum's strings of sunny-colored gems
Sad hyacinthsand violets dim and sweet
And orange-blossoms on their dark-green stems. -
And now the hour is comethe priest is there;
Torches are lit and bells are tolled; they go
With solemn rites of blessing and of prayer
To lay the little one in earth below. -
The door is opened; hark! that quick glad cry;
Carlo has wakedhas wakedand is at play;
The little sisters laugh and leapand try
To climb the bed on which the infant lay. -
And there he sits aliveand gayly shakes
In his full hands the blossoms red and white
And smiles with winking eyeslike one who wakes
From long deep slumbers at the morning light. - -
THE END