The Mother's Prayer

By Theodore Tilton

I.

With eager arms a mother pressed
A laughing babe against her breast.

II.

Then thus to Heaven she cried in prayer:
Now even as his face is fair,

III.

O Lord! keep Thou his soul within
As free from any spot of sin.

IV.

From heaven the Lord an answer made:
Behold! I grant as thou hast prayed.

V.

Within her door the darkness crept,
And babe and mother sweetly slept.

VI.

The belfry rang the midnight bell;
The watchman answered, All is well.

VII.

The mother, by the cradle-side,
Awoke to find the babe had died.

VIII.

With grief to set a woman wild,
She caught and clasped the marble child, --

IX.

Until her heart against his own
Was broken, beating on a stone!

X.

O God! she cried, in her despair,
Why hast thou mocked a mother's prayer?

XI,

Then answered He, As I have willed,
Thy prayer, O woman! is fulfilled:

XII.

If on the earth thy child remain,
His soul shall gather many a stain:

XIII.

At thy behest, I stretch my hand
And take him to the heavenly land!

XIV.

The mother heard, and bowed her bead,
And laid her cheek against the dead,

XV.

And cried, O God! I dare not pray --
Thou answerest in so strange a way!

XVI,

In shadow of a taper's light,
She moaned through all the livelong night;

XVII

But when the morning brought the sun,
She prayed, Thy will, O God, be done!