The Songs That Mother Used To Sing.

    The songs that mother used to sing!
        How tenderly those ditties roll,
        And to the dirges in my soul
    The happy notes of gladness bring!
    Where'er my vagrant feet may roam
    From pleasures of my childhood's home,
    This life of mine with rapture throngs,
    When thinking of my mother's songs.

    They were not made of magic lays;
        No perfect melodies were found,
        That with the strains of fairy sound
    Would charm the stranger's ear to praise;
    But I can never hope to meet
    Another music half so sweet,
    And all my longing love will cling
    To songs that mother used to sing.

    With gentleness of crooning cries,
        She freed the aching limbs from pain,
        And lulled the eyes to sleep again
    With sweetness of her lullabies.
    Love mingled with her tender voice
    In tones that made the heart rejoice,
    And Heaven's music seemed to ring
    In songs that mother used to sing.

    Though years have passed, they still impart
        Glad warbles to the hours of woe,
        And their mute carols fondly throw
    The sacred raptures o'er my heart;
    Until my locks are thin and gray
    Deep in my soul will sound alway,
    And full of joy will ever spring
    The songs that mother used to sing.