The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1901-05-30
Rock Me to Sleep Mother,
Then.


three score and ten:
l ask not that time should turn back in
his fight,
And make me a boy again cen for a
night,
Ny childhood, my boyhood early man
hood are all
Long passed by, nor would | those
seasons recall;
OF life's Transient pleasures Eve had my
fall share,
Perhaps, too, my quota of trouble and
care,
In heightened experience together they
blend,
And now | am nearing MY long journeys
enI,
Yet motherly hand never
rocked me 10 sleep,
Nor shielded from ills that
around iiit would sweep.
If Time should turn backward or pause
in his fight,
And make ne boy again cen for a
night,
I know I'd feel sorcly, what I did not
The morning of childhood was passing,
for then
| knew not the value of what I had
lost
That which helpless infancy always
needs most.
And no earthly blessing can be valued
a gentle, affectionatc and fond mothers
love. -.
For mothers soft song never
lulled me to sleep,
Nor solaced when trouble
would over me sweep.
No love is 50 constant, ~unseliish and
true.
Yet I, alasl never Il mothers love
knew
Ny mother, they told me, was gentle
and fair.
Fit only for Heaven and God took her
there;
He looked on her lovingly, saw she was
good, .4 ~"
And took Her away in her young
womanlood
He took her away at my life's early
dawn,
When only a few infant brcath's l had
And mother of mine never
rocked me to Sleep
Or lavishod upon me love
sacred and deep.
I felt not, knew not, In infantihe
years,
A mothet's fond kiss or mothers
warm tears.
And often, when ,burdened with child
hoods distress,
Ny sore heart has yearned for u moth
els caress.,
And often too. when fever, like molten
lead burned
Through all my young frame. de
spairingly turned
To gentle ones round me, who never
knew how
| longed for a mothers soft hand on my
brow,
But when | felt drowsiness
lever H,e~creer.
NO mother was near me TO
rock me to sleep
The trials and ills that in childhood
were mine,
And often have caused me for solace to
pine,
Brought floods of warm tears which |
could not restrain
Yetno relief gave me, and all were
in vain;
Then why should ask time to turn
back Oh pause
And make me boy again simply
because
lmnearius the end of my long journey
now,
And snow is where raven locks covered
my brow! .'t
No fond mothers hand would
then rock me to sleep.
And sadly would | in my
LONELINESS sweep.
Perhaps should Time pause or turn back
in his fight,
And make me Il boy again cen for
night,
Unwelcome memories would crowd on
my brain,
And make me unhappy and hopeless
again.
see,
For these in my childhood never beamed
on me; ,,.
I should not a mothers soft lullaby
hear
For music like this never fell on my
ear.
10 rock me to sleep,
And over me fond gentle
vigil to keep
No. turn yenot backward, old Time, in
your fight,
Tomake me child again cen for
night,
ask not return of these long vanished
years.
Their pleasures, their SORROWS, their
smiles and their tears,
They're all in the past nov, there let
them remain,
Nor relegate me back to boyhood
agan.
My long toilsome journey is now near
its end,
And there may contcntmont and peace
sweetly blend.
Then Mother, dear Mother,
when storms cease to sweep
Smile lovingly on me and