Page:Poems by William Wordsworth (1815) Volume 1.djvu/199

139 My Child! they gave thee to another,

A woman who was not thy mother.

When from my arms my Babe they took,

On me how strangely did he look!

Through his whole body something ran,

A most strange working did I see;

—As if he strove to be a man,

That he might pull the sledge for me.

And then he stretched his arms, how wild!

Oh mercy! like a helpless child.

My little joy! my little pride!

In two days more I must have died.

Then do not weep and grieve for me;

I feel I must have died with thee.

Oh wind, that o'er my head art flying

The way my Friends their course did bend,

I should not feel the pain of dying,

Could I with thee a message send!

Too soon, my Friends, ye went away;

For I had many things to say.