To a Child

If by any device or knowledge,
         The rose-bud its beauty could know,
It would stay a rose-bud forever,
         Nor into its fullness grow.

And if thou couldst know thy sweetness,
         O little one perfect and sweet,
Thou wouldst be a child forever,
         Completer whilst incomplete.
 

Title
To a Child
First Line
If by any device or knowledge
Creator
Celia Burleigh (ca. 1875)Celia M. Tibbits Burleigh
Bibliographic Citation
The Cairo Bulletin (Cairo, Illinois), July 18, 1872, p. 4
Date
1872
Period
Late
Subject
Childhood
Comments
The Cairo Bulletin introduces this brief poem thus:
"Isn’t the following beautiful gem by Celia Burleigh, worthy a setting in letters of gold:”
Unclear if this is a whole poem, or an excerpt from another poem
Rating
★★★★
Item sets
Burleigh Resources ALL
Celia Burleigh poems
Media
To a ChildTo a Child