The Poor Children
Take heed of this small child of earth;
He is great; he hath in him God most high.
Children before their fleshly birth Are lights alive in the blue sky. In our light bitter world of wrong They come;
God gives us them awhile.
His speech is in their stammering tongue,
And his forgiveness in their smile. Their sweet light rests upon our eyes.
Alas! their right to joy is plain.
If they are hungry Paradise Weeps, and, if cold,
Heaven thrills with pain. The want that saps their sinless flower Speaks judgment on sin's ministers.
Man holds an angel in his power.
Ah! deep in Heaven what thunder stirs, When God seeks out these tender things Whom in the shadow where we sleep He sends us clothed about with wings,
And finds them ragged babes that weep!
This English translation of "The Poor Children" was composed by Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909).
Victor Marie Hugo
Other author posts
Nox 1
At the bottom of your thoughts, this is the night you've chosen, Prince, you must now make an end of things - the night is Come, get up for sensing in shadow the smell of a
Depuis quatre mille ans il tombait dans labîme
(Et nox facta est, I)Depuis quatre mille ans il tombait dans l'abîme Il n'avait pas encor pu saisir une cime, Ni lever une fois son front démesuré
La Tombe Dit À La Rose The Grave And The Rose
La tombe dit à la rose :- Des pleurs dont l'aube t'arrose Que fais-tu, fleur des amours La rose dit à la tombe :- Que fais-tu de ce qui tombe Dans ton gouffre ouvert toujours La rose dit : - Tombeau sombre, De ces pleurs je fais dan...
A celle qui est voilée
Tu me parles du fond d'un Comme une âme parle aux vivants Comme l'écume de la grève, Ta robe flotte dans les vents