Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.
Poems of Home: II. For ChildrenThe Childrens Church
Karl von Gerock (18151890)T
Papa and mamma have both gone,—
And three little children sit singing
Together this still Sunday morn.
Though too small to sit still in a pew,
These busy religious small people
Determine to have their church too.
By which their fair ringlets are fanned,
Each rogue sings away as he pleases,
With book upside down in his hand.
Their music no rhythm nor tune:
Our worship, perhaps, may be better,
But theirs reaches God quite as soon.
His heaven is bright with these flowers;
And the dear God above us would rather
Hear praise from their lips than from ours.
Fill the air with contentment and love;
All Nature around you rejoices,
And the birds warble sweetly above.
The liturgies sacred and long,
The anthems and worship of nations,
Are poor to your innocent song.
Though wisely our prayers may be planned,
For often we, too, who are older,
Hold our book the wrong way in our hand.
We study with labor and pain;
Yet often our angry contentions
Take the harmony out of our strain.
Our cry when most deep and sincere,—
What are they? A child’s simple prattle,
A breath in the Infinite ear.