Classic Poem

One day as I came down by Jarrow,
Engirt by a crowd on a stone
A woman sat moaning, and sorrow
Seized all who took heed to her moan.

" Nay, blame not my sad lamentation,
But oh, " she said, " let my tears flow,
Offer me no consolation —
I know they are dead down below.

" I heard the dread blast and I darted
Away on the road to the pit,
Nor stopped till my senses departed,
And left me the wretch I sit.

" Ah, thus let me sit, " so entreated
She those who'd have had her away;
Then on the hard granite seated,
Resumed her lament and did say: —

" My mother, poor body, would harry
Me oft with a look sad and pale,
When I had determined to marry
The dimple-chin'd lad of the dale.

" Not that she had any objection
To one praised by each and all;
But ay his lot caused a reflection
That still her bosom would gall.

" Nay, blame not my sad lamentation;
My mother sleeps under the yew.
She views not the dire desolation
She dreaded one day I should view.

" Bedabbled with blood are my tresses!
No matter! Unlock not my hand!
When first I enjoyed his caresses,
Their hue would his praises command.

" He'll never praise more locks nor features,
Nor, when the long day-tide is o'er,
With me view our two happy creatures,
With bat and ball at the door.

" Nay, chide not. A pair either bolder
Or better nobody could see:
They passed for a year or two older
Than what I could prove them to be.

" Their equals for courage and action
Were not to be found in the place;
And others might boast of attraction,
But none had their colour or grace.

" Their feelings were such, tho' when smitten
By scorn oft their blood would rebel,
They wept for the little blind kitten
Our neighbour did drown in the well.

" The same peaceful, calm, and brave bearing
Had still been the father's, was theirs;
And now we felt older wearing,
We deemed they'd soon lighten our cares.

" So deemed I last night. On his shoulder
I hung and beheld them at play:
I dreamed not how soon they must moulder
Down, down in their cold bed of clay.

" Ah, chide not. This sad lamentation
But endeth the burden began,
When to the whole dale's consternation,
Our second was crushed by the van.

" That dark day the words of my mother
In all the deep tone which had made
Me like a wind-ridden leaf dother,
Rang like the dead bell in my head.

" Despair, the grim bird, away chidden,
Would light on the house-top again;
But still from my husband was hidden
Each thought that had put him to pain.

" He's pass'd from existence unharried
By any forebodings of mine;
Nor till we the lisper had buried,
E'er pined he. But then he did pine.

" Down when the shadow had fallen
Across the long row gable-end,
He miss'd him, as home from his calling
With thrice weary bones he would wend.

" No more would his heavy step lighten,
No more would his hazel eyes glow,
No more would his smutty face brighten
At sight of the darling. Ah, no!

" He lived by my bodings unharried,
But when from his vision and mine
Away the sweet lisper was carried,
He pined, and long after would pine.

" Ay, truly. — And reason. The sonsy,
The bairn with his hair bright and curled,
He still had appeared to our fancy,
The bonniest bairn in the world.

" As ruddy was he as a cherry,
With dimple on chin and on cheek;
And never another as merry
Was seen to play hide-and-go-seek.

" He, yet, with his fun and affection,
His canny bit pranks and his grace,
He wheedled my heart from dejection,
And put a bright look on my face.

" Full oft upon one leg advancing,
Across to the door he would go,
Wheel round on his heel, then go dancing
With hop after hop down the row.

" When — Let my hand go! — When he perish'd,
The rest were a balm to my woe:
But now, what remains to be cherish'd?
But now, what remains to me now?

" Barely cold was the pet ere affected
By fever they lay one and all;
But lay not like others neglected;
I slept not, to be at their call.

" Day and night, night and day without slumber,
I watched till weary and worn; —
When Death took the gem of the number,
I'd barely strength left me to mourn.

" I've mourn'd enough since. And tho' cruel
Mishap like a curs'd hag would find
Her way to my door still, the jewel
Has seldom been out of my mind.

" Another so light and so airy
Ne'er gladden'd a fond mother's sight.
I oft heard her called a wee fairy,
And heard her so called with delight.

" Whilst others played, by me she tarried,
The cherub! and rumour avers
That now-a-days many are married,
With not half the sense that was hers.

" Down on the hearth-rug sitting
The long winter nights she was heard,
The while her sweet fingers were knitting,
To lilt out her lay like a bird.

" Did I appear cross? To me stealing,
Askance in my face she would keek,
At which, e'er the victim of feeling,
I could not but pat her bit cheek.

" She once, when I'd pricked this hard finger
No, he who in grave-clothes first slept —
No, she — with the senses that linger
I cannot tell which of them — wept.

" She vanished at last. Ah, an ocean
Of trouble appeared that black cup;
But what was it all to the potion
I now am commanded to sup?

" My husband, my bairnies, my blossoms!
— Well — well, I am wicked — yes, yes;
But take my loss home to your bosoms,
And say if your sin would be less?

" My husband, my bairnies, my blossoms!
Well, I'll not murmur, but still
The anguish that teareth the bosom's
Not to be bridled at will.

" The dear ones to perish so sudden!
'Twas only last night, by the hearth,
While I sat and mended their dudden,
The bairnies were giddy with mirth.

" Their cousin came in, and they hasten'd
To hand her, and, handing the chair,
The strings of her apron unfasten'd,
And slipt the back comb from her hair.

" On leaving, the lassie discovered
The prank they upon her had play'd;
Awhile hung her head, awhile hover'd,
Then pinched both their noses and fled.

" They laugh'd, clapt their hands, and the father,
Yea, I too, had laugh'd with the rest;
But something came o'er me which rather
Brought sorrow than joy to my breast.

" The dear ones to perish so sudden!
Last night of all nights by the hearth,
While I was mending their dudden,
Why felt I no joy in their mirth? "

" The supper was set, and being over
I help'd them to bed, and I think,
Once curl'd up aneath the green cover,
They dover'd to sleep in a wink.

" I too laid me down, heart weary,
And when the birds rose from their bed,
Somehow, by a dream dull and dreary,
My eyes were fast lock'd in my head.

" Aroused by their voices, and yearning
To kiss them, I sprang to the floor;
They kissed me, and bade me " good morning,"
Then whistled away from the door.

" Long after away they had hurried,
Their music rang in my ears;
Then I thought of those we had buried,
And thought of the jewels with tears.

" Then I thought — What said I? — Thus thinking
Was I, when rat-tat went the pane,
And back into sense again shrinking,
I into bed stumbled again.

" Did I sleep? I did weep. To his calling
The father had gone hours before,
And now in that havoc appalling,
He lies with the blossoms I bore.

" Did I sleep? I did weep. Heart weary,
How oft have I so wept before!
I wept, and to weep, lone and dreary
I've wandered the broken brick floor.

" Did I sleep? Well, your kind arm, and steady
My tottering steps, and now you
Go, get out the winding-sheets ready,
And do what remaineth to do.

" Spread winding-sheets — one for the father,
And two for the darlings, our pride, —
And one for the wife and the mother,
Ah, soundly she'll sleep by their side! "