(Themselves now but cold imagery)

In sinners of an hundred years.

A nameless piece of Babyhood,

For darker closets of the tomb!

Thy pretty toys with thee to lie;

Extinct, with scarce the sense of dying:

Which pale death did late eclipse;

Riddle of destiny, who can show

And cut the branch; to save the shock

A floweret crushd in the bud,

And we, churls, to thee deny

Of young years widowd, and the pain

Silver bells, and baby clothes;

Why should kings and nobles have

What thy short visit meant, or know

For the long dark: neer more to see

Coral redder than those lips

She did but ope an eye, and put

Shall we say that Nature blind

Mothers prattle, mothers kiss,

Limbs so fair, they might supply

Lif藏书网e of health, and days mature:

Though thou wantst not, thou shalt have them,

(With her nine moons long workings sickend)

Or lackd she the Promethean fire

More brief than fly ephemeral

Thenceforward drags a maimèd life?

Could she flag, or could she tire,

That babe or mother, one must die;

So in mercy left the stock

Baby fond, thou neer wilt miss:

That hhttp://www.99lib.netas his day; while shrivelld crones

When single state comes back again

Let not one be missing; nurse,

I saw where in the shroud did lurk

Womans self in miniature!

To the lone man who, reft of wife,

Or did the stern-eyed Fate descry

Checkd her hand, and changed her mind,

Just when she had exactly wrought

What thy errand here below?

Music framed for infant99lib.nets glee,

The sculptor to make Beauty by.

Through glasses of mortality.

A curious frame of Nature’s work;

A finishd pattern without fault?

Why human buds, like this, should fall,

The economy of Heaven is dark,

And wisest clerks have missd the mark,

And crabbèd use the conscience sears

Rites, which custom does impose,

Pictured trophies to their grave,

Was in her cradle九*九*藏*书*网-coffin lying;

That should thy little limbs have quickend?

Whistle never tuned for thee;

So soon to exchange the imprisoning womb

A more harmless vanity?

Of infant slain by doom perverse.

A clear beam forth, then straight up shut

Stiffen with age to stocks and stones;

See them laid upon the hearse

Limbs so firm, they seemd to assure

Loving hearts were they which gave them.