A Mother's Lament for the Death of her Son

Fate gave the word, the arrow sped,And pierc'd my darling's heart;And with him all the joys are fledLife can to me impart!By cruel hands the sapling drops,In dust dishonour'd laid:So fell the pride of all my hopes,My age's future shade.

The mother-linnet in the brakeBewails her ravish'd young;So I, for my lost darling's sake,Lament the live-day long.Death, oft I've fear'd thy fatal blow,Now, fond, I bare my breast,O, do thou kindly lay me lowWith him I love, at rest!