~~~~~~~
“I’ll lend you for a little while a child of mine,”
He said, “for you to love the while
he lives and mourn when he is dead.
It may be six or seven years or twenty-two or twenty-three,
but will you, ‘til I call him back, take care of him for me?
He’ll bring his charms to gladden you and should his stay be brief,
you’ll have his lovely memories as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay, since all from earth return,
but there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn.
I’ve looked the wide world over in my search for Teachers True,
and from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes,
I have selected you. Now will you give him all your love,
and not think the labor vain, nor hate me when I come
to take him back again?”I fancied that I heard them say,
“Dear Lord, Thy will be done; for all the joys this child
shall bring, the risk of grief we’ll run.
We’ll shelter him with happiness; we’ll love him while we may.
And for the happiness we’ve known, forever grateful stay.
But should the Angels call for him much sooner than we planned,
we’ll brave the bitter grief that comes, and try to understand.”
