Poems   By: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911)

By

FRANCES E. W. HARPER

The Black Heritage Library Collection

First Published 1895

POEMS

BY

FRANCES E. W. HARPER

Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. ISAIAH 60:15.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

My Mother's Kiss . . . . . . . . . . 1 A Grain of Sand . . . . . . . . . . 3 The Crocuses . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Present Age . . . . . . . . . . 6 Dedication Poem . . . . . . . . . . 9 A Double Standard . . . . . . . . . 12 Our Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 The Dying Bondman . . . . . . . . . 17 A Little Child Shall Lead Them . . . 19 The Sparrow's Fall . . . . . . . . . 21 God Bless Our Native Land . . . . . 23 Dandelions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Building . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Home, Sweet Home . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Pure in Heart Shall See God . . 28 He Had Not Where to Lay His Head . . 30 Go Work in My Vineyard . . . . . . . 31 Renewal of Strength . . . . . . . . 33 Jamie's Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Truth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Death of the Old Sea King . . . . . 38 Save the Boys . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Nothing and Something . . . . . . . 42 Vashti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Thank God for Little Children . . . 47 The Martyr of Alabama . . . . . . . 49 The Night of Death . . . . . . . . . 53 Mother's Treasures . . . . . . . . . 56 The Refiner's Gold . . . . . . . . . 58 A Story of the Rebellion . . . . . . 60 Burial of Sarah . . . . . . . . . . 61 Going East . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 The Hermit's Sacrifice . . . . . . . 66 Songs for the People . . . . . . . . 69 Let the Light Enter . . . . . . . . 71 An Appeal to My Country Women . . . 72

MY MOTHER'S KISS.

My mother's kiss, my mother's kiss, I feel its impress now; As in the bright and happy days She pressed it on my brow.

You say it is a fancied thing Within my memory fraught; To me it has a sacred place The treasure house of thought.

Again, I feel her fingers glide Amid my clustering hair; I see the love light in her eyes, When all my life was fair.

Again, I hear her gentle voice In warning or in love. How precious was the faith that taught My soul of things above.

(1)

2 MY MOTHER'S KISS.

The music of her voice is stilled, Her lips are paled in death. As precious pearls I'll clasp her words Until my latest breath.

The world has scattered round my path Honor and wealth and fame; But naught so precious as the thoughts That gather round her name.

And friends have placed upon my brow The laurels of renown; But she first taught me how to wear My manhood as a crown.

My hair is silvered o'er with age, I'm longing to depart; To clasp again my mother's hand, And be a child at heart.

To roam with her the glory land Where saints and angels greet; To cast our crowns with songs of love At our Redeemer's feet.

A GRAIN OF SAND. 3

A GRAIN OF SAND.

Do you see this grain of sand Lying loosely in my hand? Do you know to me it brought Just a simple loving thought? When one gazes night by night On the glorious stars of light, Oh how little seems the span Measured round the life of man.

Oh! how fleeting are his years With their smiles and their tears; Can it be that God does care For such atoms as we are? Then outspake this grain of sand "I was fashioned by His hand In the star lit realms of space I was made to have a place.