ONANINFANTDYINGASSOONASBORN

onaninfantdyingassoonasborn

(1827)

isawwhereintheshrouddidlurk

acuriousframeofnature'swork.

aflow'retcrushedinthebud,

anamelesspieceofbabyhood,

wasinacradle-coffinlying;

extinct,withscarcethesenseofdying;

sosoontoexchangetheimprisoningwomb

fordarkerclosetsofthetomb!

shedidbutopeaneye,andput

aclearbeamforth,thenstraitupshut

forthelongdark:ne'ermoretosee

throughglassesofmortality.

riddleofdestiny,whocanshow

whatthyshortvisitmeant,orknow

whatthyerrandherebelow?

shallwesay,thatnatureblind

check'dherhand,andchangedhermind,

justwhenshehadexactlywrought

afinish'dpatternwithoutfault?

couldsheflag,orcouldshetire,

orlack'dshetheprometheanfire

(withherninemoons'longworkingssicken'd)

thatshouldthylittlelimbshavequicken'd?

limbssofirm,theyseem'dtoassure

lifeofhealth,anddaysmature:

woman'sselfinminiature!

limbssofair,theymightsupply

(themselvesnowbutcoldimagery)

thesculptortomakebeautyby.

ordidthestern-eyedfatedescry,

thatbabe,ormother,onemustdie;

soinmercyleftthestock,

andcutthebranch;tosavetheshock

ofyoungyearswidow'd;andthepain,

whensinglestatecomesbackagain

tothelonemanwho,'reftofwife,

thenceforwarddragsamaimedlife?

theeconomyofheavenisdark;

andwisestclerkshavemiss'dthemark,

whyhumanbuds,likethis,shouldfall,

morebriefthanflyephemeral,

thathashisday;whileshrivel'dcrones

stiffenwithagetostocksandstones;

andcrabbedusetheconsciencesears

insinnersofanhundredyears.

mother'sprattle,mother'skiss,

babyfond,thoune'erwiltmiss.

rites,whichcustomdoesimpose,