from The Bijou Literary Annual, 1828
author: By William Fraser
source date: 1828
edition published: 20170606
availability: Freely available via a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

The Bijou;
or Annual of Literature and the Arts

compiled by William Fraser
William Pickering London
1828
pp. 198-199

On a Little Girl

By William Fraser

THAT beautiful and starry brow,
With youth and joy all splendent now —
Can it be marred by years?
That passionless and stainless breast,
Where innocence hath raised her nest —
Must it be racked by fears?
That glowing cheek and sun- bright eye
Whence laughter wings its archery —
Will it be stained with tears?
Such is, alas! the bitter doom
That waits each tenant of the tomb; —
And how canst thou, young bud of beauty be,
Excluded from the pale of destiny!

But years will pass nor leave behind
One stain upon thy seraph mind —
Then, come, thou fearful age!
And fears that rack thy breast may prove
The token sure of passionate love —
Such is love's heritage!

And tears from pity's fount will flow,
And on the cheek full sunny glow,
Of joy the fond presage!
Thy days shall onward wing their way,
Like the month of fragrance- breathing May;
Or should Grief come thy beauties to enshroud
It shall pass o'er thee like an April cloud.