A Dream of Waking + 

A child was born in sin and shame, + 

Wronged by his very birth, + 

Without a home, without a name, + 

One over in the earth. + 

No wifely triumph he inspired, + 

Allayed no husband’s fear; + 

Intruder bare, whom none desired, + 

He had a welcome drear. + 

Heaven’s beggar, all but turned adrift + 

For knocking at earth’s gate, + 

His mother, like an evil gift, + 

Shunned him with sickly hate. + 

And now the mistress on her knee + 

The unloved baby bore, + 

The while the servant sullenly + 

Prepared to leave her door. + 

Her eggs are dear to mother-dove, + 

Her chickens to the hen; + 

All young ones bring with them their love, + 

Of sheep, or goats, or men! + 

This one lone child shall not have come + 

In vain for love to seek: + 

Let mother’s hardened heart be dumb, + 

A sister-babe will speak! + 

“Mother, keep baby⁠—keep him so; + 

Don’t let him go away.” + 

“But, darling, if his mother go, + 

Poor baby cannot stay.” + 

“He’s crying, mother: don’t you see + 

He wants to stay with you?” + 

“No, child; he does not care for me.” + 

“Do keep him, mother⁠—do.” + 

“For his own mother he would cry; + 

He’s hungry now, I think.” + 

“Give him to me, and let me try + 

If I can make him drink.” + 

“Susan would hurt him! Mother will + 

Let the poor baby stay?” + 

Her mother’s heart grew sore, but still + 

Baby must go away! + 

The red lip trembled; the slow tears + 

Came darkening in her eyes; + 

Pressed on her heart a weight of fears + 

That sought not ease in cries. + 

’Twas torture⁠—must not be endured!⁠— + 

A too outrageous grief! + 

Was there an ill could not be cured? + 

She would find some relief! + 

All round her universe she pried: + 

No dawn began to break: + 

In prophet-agony she cried⁠— + 

“Mother! when shall we wake?” + 

O insight born of torture’s might!⁠— + 

Such grief can only seem. + 

Rise o’er the hills, eternal light, + 

And melt the earthly dream. + 