i see thee now thine innocence

writ on thy soul’s clear skies.

thy laughter loving mouth

thy love provoking eyes.

i mark thy soft girl fairness

thy strong young body’s grace,

the woman soul that i have nursed

dawning behind thy face.

i note with fear thy heedless

and unchided turbulence.

unfaltering faith in life and love

thine air of confidence.

and then i see as seers might see

even as one’s own god.

thy straight, slim youthfulness

bend to the chastening rod.

i writhe to think i may not bear

the blows, for thine own sake

i can not, tho’ ’tis mine to know

how one small heart can ache.{7}

in the winds of thy fierce breaking

god grant i never see

thy flashing spirit sullen,

or thy lips in mutiny.

but rather child, i’d have thee know

even as i the rod,

as a tuning fork to bring thy song

back to the harp of god.