Pet Marjorie Poem by Janet Hamilton

Sweet Pet! such pets are far and few-
A flow'ret balmed with spirit dew-
With beauteous tints of heavenly hue-
A lovely soul, bright, fond, and true,
The poet's pet and pearl.
Descending from her native skies,
Alas! how soon again to rise
An angel in an infant's guise,
She stormed all hearts with sweet surprise-
The rarely gifted child!


And Genius, at her childish shrine,
Admiring stood, and traced each line
Of thought that o'er her features fine
Would come and go, like cloud and shine
In smiling April weather.
When fancy's fires were burning low,
And bright ideas mustered slow,
Then Pet's small hand in Scott's would glow-
His plaidie round the lamb he'd throw,
And wrap them close together.


The baby poet-wond'rous child-
Who rhymed, and wrote, and sung, and smiled,
Her sweet conceits and fancies wild
She quaintly strung, and duly filed
In her most unique journal.
Short space was she to earth confined,
For matter was too weak for mind;
No earthly tie her soul could bind;
She soared to mingle with her kind
Beyond our sphere diurnal.


Mysterious questions we might ask-
Was it in human love to bask-
Work out some heaven-commissioned task,
Then lay aside her mortal mask,
The spiritual assuming?
We may not ask, but this we know-
The stings of guilt, the pangs of woe,
The blush of shame, shall never glow
On cheeks where Heaven's own roses blow
For ever fresh and blooming.