When a Little Baby Dies

by Edgar A. Guest

When a Little Baby Dies
When a little baby dies
And its wee form silent lies,
And its little cheeks seem waxen
And its little hands are still,
Then your soul gives way to treason,
And you cry” “O, God, what reason,
O, what justice and what mercy
Have You shown us by Your will?

“There are, O, so many here
Of the yellow leaf and sere,
Who are anxious, aye, and ready
To respond unto Your call;
Yet You pass them by unheeding,
And You set our hearts to bleeding!
“O,” you mutter, “God, how cruel
Do Your vaunted mercies fall!”

Yet some day, in after years,
When Death’s angel once more nears,
And the unknown, silent river
Looms as darkly as a pall,
You will hear your baby saying,
“Mamma, come to me, I’m staying
With my arms outstretched to greet you,”
And you’ll understand it all.

The Path to Home by Edgar A. Guest copyright 1919

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