“O stay me not, for I must go “The upland path in haste to tread; “For there the pale primroses grow “They grow to dress my mother’s bed.— “They must, ere peep of day, be strown, “Where she lies mould’ring all alone. XIII. “My father o’er the stormy sea “To distant lands was borne away, “And still my mother stay’d with me “And wept by night and toil’d by day. “And shall I ever quit the stone “Where she is left, to sleep alone. XIV. “My father died, and still I found “My mother fond and kind to me; “I felt her breast with rapture bound “When first I prattled on her knee— “And then she blest my infant tone “And little thought of yon grave-stone. XV. “No more her gentle voice I hear, “No more her smile of fondness see; “Then wonder not I shed the tear “She would have DIED, to follow me! “And yet she sleeps beneath yon stone “And I STILL LIVE—to weep alone. XVI. “The playful kid, she lov’d so well “From yon high clift was seen to fall; “I heard, afar, his tink’ling bell— “Which seem’d in vain for aid to call— “I heard the harmless suff’rer moan, “And griev’d that he was left alone. XVII. “Our faithful dog grew mad, and died, “The lightning smote our cottage low— “We had no resting place beside “And knew not whither we should go— “For we were poor,—and hearts of stone “Will never throb at mis’ry’s groan. XVIII. “My mother still surviv’d for me “She led me to the mountain’s brow, “She watch’d me, while at yonder tree “I sat, and wove the ozier bough; “And oft she cried, “fear not, MINE OWN! “Thou shalt not, BOY, be left ALONE.” XIX. “The blast blew strong, the torrent rose “And bore our shatter’d cot away; “And, where the clear brook swiftly flows— “Upon the turf at dawn of day, “When bright the sun’s full lustre shone, “I wander’d, FRIENDLESS—and ALONE!” XX. Thou art not, boy, for I have seen Thy tiny footsteps print the dew, And while the morning sky serene Spread o’er the hill a yellow hue, I heard thy sad and plaintive moan, Beside the cold sepulchral stone. XXI.