OnTheBirthOfAPosthumousChild

onthebirthofaposthumouschild

borninpeculiarcircumstancesoffamilydistress.

sweetflow'ret,pledgeo'meiklelove,

andwardo'monyaprayer,

whathearto'stanewadthounamove,

saehelpless,sweet,andfair?

novemberhirpleso'erthelea,

chil,onthylovelyform:

andgane,alas!theshelt'ringtree,

shouldshieldtheefraethestorm.

mayhewhogivestheraintopour,

andwingstheblasttoblaw,

protecttheefraethedrivingshow'r,

thebitterfrostandsnaw.

mayhe,thefriendo'woeandwant,

whohealslife'svariousstounds,

protectandguardthemotherplant,

andhealhercruelwounds.

butlatesheflourish'd,rootedfast,

fairinthesummermorn,

nowfeeblybendssheintheblast,

unshelter'dandforlorn.

blestbethybloom,thoulovelygem,

unscath'dbyruffianhand!

andfromtheemanyaparentstem

arisetodeckourland!