Elizabeth Oakes Smith

1806 - 1893

A Summer Morning Picture

The Sabbath morning from the night awoke
All sunshine crowned: rough men disdaining toil
Had cleared their brows from work-day's hardening moil
And by the fountain left the cove'd yoke.
Through morning-glory and the hollyhock,
And rich nasturtium, shading with their coil
The cottage window, and the heated soil,
Aslant the white board floor the sunshine broke,
And left a flowery tracery in the sheen.
This inward gleam the children newly kempt,
And genial matron, calm from work-day ways,
Who sits with stately grace her flock between
And sings a Sabbath hymm, meseems, exempt
Like these from strife, Seraphim Legions join the praise.
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