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Come Home, Father! by Henry Clay Work   
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Henry Clay Work
Henry Clay Work (1832 - 1884)
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He grew up in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of an active opponent of slavery, who helped thousands of slaves to escape north he too was also an act .. more >>
73 poems of Henry Clay Work
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Come Home, Father!

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  'Tis The
SONG OF LITTLE MARY,
Standing at the bar-room door
While the shameful midnight revel
Rages wildly as before.

Father, dear father, come home with me now!
The clock in the steeple strikes one;
You said you were coming right home from the shop,
As soon as your day's work was done.
Our fire has gone out our house is all dark
And mother's been watching since tea, --
With poor brother Benny so sick in her arms,
And no one to help her but me. --
Come home! come home! come home! --
Please, father, dear father, come home. --

Hear the sweet voice of the child
Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
"Please, father, dear father, come home."

Father, dear father, come home with me now!
The clock in the steeple strikes two;
The night has grown colder, and Benny is worse
But he has been calling for you.
Indeed he is worse Ma says he will die,
Perhaps before morning shall dawn; --
And this is the message she sent me to bring
"Come quickly, or he will be gone." --
Come home! come home! come home! --
Please, father, dear father, come home. --

Hear the sweet voice of the child
Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
"Please, father, dear father, come home."

Father, dear father, come home with me now!
The clock in the steeple strikes three;
The house is so lonely the hours are so long
For poor weeping mother and me.
Yes, we are alone poor Benny is dead,
And gone with the angels of light; --
And these were the very last words that he said
"I want to kiss Papa good night." --
Come home! come home! come home! --
Please, father, dear father, come home. --

Hear the sweet voice of the child
Which the night winds repeat as they roam!
Oh who could resist this most plaintive of prayers?
"Please, father, dear father, come home."

Henry Clay Work


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Read poems about / on: father, home, child, house, mother, sick, brother, night, lonely, kiss, work, song, fire, dark, alone, light, wind, shopping, children, angel

 
  Comments about this poem (Come Home, Father! by Henry Clay Work )
Click here to write your comments about this poem (Come Home, Father! by Henry Clay Work )
 
  Mo.  (9/26/2007 8:24:00 AM)

wonderful poem!
  Mel Wyatt  (4/17/2007 1:31:00 AM)

This poem was hand written by my Grandfather as a letter to my Grandmother during the Civil War which was postmarked at Philadelphia Sep 27 1862. The author of the poem was not named in the correspondence.

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11/27/2009 11:19:23 PM. #.26# You Are Here: Come Home, Father! by Henry Clay Work

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