The Orphan
The Orphan
Original Text
Ann and Jane Taylor, Original Poems for Infant Minds, 2 volumes, and Rhymes for the Nursery, preface by Christina Duff Stewart (New York: Garland, 1976): II, 81. PR 4712 G6A17 1976 Robarts Library
1MY father and mother are dead,
2 No friend or relation I have :
3And now the cold earth is their bed,
4 And daisies grow over the grave.
5I cast my eyes into the tomb,
6 The sight made me bitterly cry ;
7I said, and is this the dark room
8 Where my father and mother must lie !
9I cast my eyes round me again,
10 In hopes some protector to see ;
11Alas ! but the search was in vain,
12 For none had compassion on me.
13I cast my eyes up to the sky,
14 I groan'd, tho' I said not a word ;
15Yet God was not deaf to my cry,
16 The friend of the fatherless heard.
17O yes -- and he graciously smil'd,
18 And bid me on him to depend ;
19He whisper'd -- fear not, little child,
20 For I am thy father and friend.
Publication Start Year
1805
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 1996-2000.
Rhyme