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Poem
April 28, 1812
The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser
Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island
What is this article about?
A grieving widow addresses her infant child in the cradle, finding solace in its resemblance to the deceased father while expressing fears for its future amid her sorrow and prayers.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
SELECTED ESSAY
THE WIDOW
TO HER INFANT IN THE CRADLE.
Blossom of Hope! whose cherub smile
Can all thy mother's woes beguile;
Sweet bud of comfort! in whose face
Her sorrowing eye delights to trace,
Thro every feature, opening fair,
An image of thy father there!
Ah! gentle germ of joy unborn;
Pale beam of an o'ershadow'd morn,
How shall thy mother's soul express
Her hope, her fear, her soft distress
As bending o'er thy cradled form
She deprecates life's fatal storm!
And prays, with all a parent fears
For blessings on thy early years,
Ah! babe beloved, condemn'd to bloom
A flowret on thy father's tomb;
Unmindful thou that sorrow's power
Hath mark'd thee from life's earliest hour;
Wreckless of many a bitter tear
That flow'd upon thy father's bier;
And many a briny torrent shed
Upon thine own unconscious head;
Yet while thy little cheek hath prest
Thy hapless mother's throbbing breast
No tongue could urge a plea like thine,
To soothe a breaking heart like mine;
Pour through the breast so sweet a charm.
And e'en despair's fell pang disarm.
THE WIDOW
TO HER INFANT IN THE CRADLE.
Blossom of Hope! whose cherub smile
Can all thy mother's woes beguile;
Sweet bud of comfort! in whose face
Her sorrowing eye delights to trace,
Thro every feature, opening fair,
An image of thy father there!
Ah! gentle germ of joy unborn;
Pale beam of an o'ershadow'd morn,
How shall thy mother's soul express
Her hope, her fear, her soft distress
As bending o'er thy cradled form
She deprecates life's fatal storm!
And prays, with all a parent fears
For blessings on thy early years,
Ah! babe beloved, condemn'd to bloom
A flowret on thy father's tomb;
Unmindful thou that sorrow's power
Hath mark'd thee from life's earliest hour;
Wreckless of many a bitter tear
That flow'd upon thy father's bier;
And many a briny torrent shed
Upon thine own unconscious head;
Yet while thy little cheek hath prest
Thy hapless mother's throbbing breast
No tongue could urge a plea like thine,
To soothe a breaking heart like mine;
Pour through the breast so sweet a charm.
And e'en despair's fell pang disarm.
What sub-type of article is it?
Elegy
Ode
What themes does it cover?
Death Mourning
What keywords are associated?
Widow Grief
Infant Cradle
Father Death
Maternal Hope
Sorrow Comfort
Poem Details
Title
The Widow To Her Infant In The Cradle.
Subject
A Widow Addresses Her Infant Child Mourning The Father
Key Lines
Blossom Of Hope! Whose Cherub Smile
Can All Thy Mother's Woes Beguile;
Ah! Gentle Germ Of Joy Unborn;
Pale Beam Of An O'ershadow'd Morn,
No Tongue Could Urge A Plea Like Thine,