"Verses to a Child", p. 12
Collection of poems : autograph manuscript signed : [Haworth]
The Henry Houston Bonnell Brontë Collection. Bequest of Helen Safford Bonnell, 1969
[“The lady of Alzerno’s hall”] (pp. 9–12)
This untitled poem was presumably intended as the second part of the previous poem, “The Parting.” Brontë noted two dates at the end: the first, 1837, is the fictional date of composition by Alexandrina Zenobia; the second, 10 July 1838, is Brontë’s own date of composition (the day after she completed “The Parting”). First published in Poems (1902), pp. 192–94, with the incorrect title “The Lady of Abyerno’s Hall.” Published in The Complete Poems of Anne Brontë (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1920) with the title “The Parting,” part II. Poem 7 in Chitham (1979); pp. 459–61 in Alexander (2010).
“Verses to a Child” (pp. 12–15)
Composed 21 August 1838, when Brontë was eighteen. Written in the voice of Alexandrina Zenobia. First published in Poems (1902), pp. 195–97. Poem 8 in Chitham (1979); pp. 461–63 in Alexander (2010).
His head was pillowed on my knee,
And his dark eyes were turned to me,
With an agonized heart breaking glance,
Until they saw me not —
O the look of a dying man,
Can never be forgot —!
Alexandrina Zenobia
1837
62 lines
Anne Brontë
July 10 1838
––––––––––––
Verses to a Child
1
O raise those eyes to me again.
And smile again so joyously,
And fear not love, it was not pain
Nor grief that drew these tears from me;
Beloved child thou canst not tell,
The thoughts that in my bosome swell*
When e’re I look on thee!
2
Thou knowst not that a glance of thine,
Can bring back long departed years
And that thy blue eyes[’] magic shine,
Can overflow my own with tears,
*Note: Chitham (1979) transcribes the starred word as “dwell,” but the manuscript reads “swell.”
| Attachment | Size |
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 BronteMA2696_5.pdf | 20.04 MB |
"Verses to a Child", p. 13
Collection of poems : autograph manuscript signed : [Haworth]
The Henry Houston Bonnell Brontë Collection. Bequest of Helen Safford Bonnell, 1969
“Verses to a Child” (pp. 12–15)
Composed 21 August 1838, when Brontë was eighteen. Written in the voice of Alexandrina Zenobia. First published in Poems (1902), pp. 195–97. Poem 8 in Chitham (1979); pp. 461–63 in Alexander (2010).
And that each feature soft and fair
And every curl of golden hair,
Some sweet remembrance bears.
3
Just then thou didst recall to me
A distant long forgotten scene;
One smile and one sweet word from thee
Dispelled the years that rolled between,
I was a little child again,
And every after joy and pain,
Seemed never to have been.
4
Tall forest trees waved over me,
To hide me from the heat of day,
And by my side a child like thee,
Among the summer flowerets lay.
He was thy sire: thou merry child.
Like thee he spoke, like thee he, smiled
Like thee he used to play,
5
O Mary those were calm and happy days,
We loved each other fondly then
| Attachment | Size |
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| BronteMA2696_5.pdf | 20.04 MB |
"Verses to a Child", p. 14
Collection of poems : autograph manuscript signed : [Haworth]
The Henry Houston Bonnell Brontë Collection. Bequest of Helen Safford Bonnell, 1969
“Verses to a Child” (pp. 12–15)
Composed 21 August 1838, when Brontë was eighteen. Written in the voice of Alexandrina Zenobia. First published in Poems (1902), pp. 195–97. Poem 8 in Chitham (1979); pp. 461–63 in Alexander (2010).
But human love too soon decays,
And ours can never bloom again.
I never thought to see the day,
When his [?] Florian’s friendship would decay,
Like that of colder men.
6
Now Mary Flora thou hast but begun
To sail on life’s deceitful sea,
O do not err as I have done,
For I have trusted foolishly,
The faith of every friend I loved,
I never doubted till I proved
Their hearts[’] inconstancy.
7
’Tis mournful to look back upon
Those long departed joys and cares,
And* I will weep since thou alone
Art witness to my streaming tears,
This lingering love will not depart,
I can not banish from my heart,
The friend of childish years,
*Note: Chitham (1979) transcribes the starred word as “But,” but the manuscript reads “And.”
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| BronteMA2696_5.pdf | 20.04 MB |