1970 – 1982
I'LL LEND YOU FOR A LITTLE WHILE
A CHILD OF MINE, GOD SAID
FOR YOU TO LOVE THE WHILE
HE LIVES
AND MOURN FOR WHEN HE'S
DEAD.
IT MAY BE SIX
OR SEVEN YEARS
OR FORTY-TWO OR THREE.
BUT, WILL YOU, TIL I CALL
HIM BACK,
TAKE CARE OF HIM FOR ME?
HE'LL BRING HIS
CHARMS TO GLADDEN YOU
AND...SHOULD HIS STAY
BE BRIEF...
YOU'LL HAVE HIS LOVELY
MEMORIES
AS A SOLACE FOR YOUR GRIEF.
I CANNOT PROMISE
HE WILL STAY,
SINCE ALL FOR FROM EARTH
RETURNS;
BUT THERE ARE LESSONS
TAUGHT BELOW,
I WANT THIS CHILD TO LEARN
I'VE LOOKED THE
WHOLE WORLD OVER
IN MY SEARCH FOR TEACHER'S
TRUE.
AND FROM THE THINGS THAT
CROWD LIFE'S LANE
I HAVE CHOSE YOU.
NOW WILL YOU
GIVE HIM ALL YOUR LOVE?
NOR THINK THE LABOR VAIN?
NOR HATE ME WHEN I COME
TO TAKE
THIS LENT CHILD BACK AGAIN?
I FANCIED THAT
I HEARD THEM SAY
DEAR LORD, THY WILL BE
DONE
FOR ALL THE JOYS THY CHILD
WILL BRING
THE RISK OF GRIEF WE'LL
RUN
WE WILL SHELTER
HIM WITH TENDERNESS,
WE'LL LOVE HIM WHILE WE
MAY
AND FOR THE HAPPINESS
WE HAVE KNOWN
FOREVER GRATEFUL STAY
.
BUT SHOULD THY ANGEL CALL
FOR HIM,
MUCH SOONER THAN WE'VE
PLANNED,
WE'LL BRAVE THE BITTER
GRIEF THAT COMES
AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND
AUTHOR Edgar Guest