Why dost thou weep ? say, can it be

Why dost thou weep? say, can it be
Because for ever blest — and free
From sin, from sorrow, and from pain,
Thy babe shall never weep again,
Shall never feel, shall never know
E'en half thy little load of woe?

What was thy prayer, when his first smile
Did thy young mother-heart beguile?
When his first cry was in thine ear,
And on thy cheek his first warm tear,
And to thy heart at first were prest
The throbbings of his little breast!

What was thy prayer? canst thou not now
See in his bright cherubic brow,
Hear in his soft seraphic strain,
So full of joy, so free from pain,
An answer (as if God did speak)
To all thy love had dared to seek?

Why therefore weep, when all the cares,
The doubts, the troubles, and the snares,
The threatening clouds, the falling tears,
Childhood's wild hopes, and manhood's fears,
That might have been — for him, for thee, —
Have pass'd away, and ne'er shall be!

No thorns of earth have pierced his feet.
No bitter tempests round him beat,
No rains upon his head descended,
But one soft gush of tears, that blended
With the bright sacramental shower,
And drove him to the heavenly bower.

He scarcely suffer'd, then was crown'd,
Was scarcely lost 'till he was found,
Had scarcely heaved one mortal sigh,
Then enter'd immortality:
A child of thine — a child of bliss!
Why therefore weep for joy like this!

Nay rather strive to praise the love
That could so tenderly reprove,
That when it wounded, left no sting
Of self-consuming suffering,
But with thy profit, link'd the joy
Of thy beloved and sainted boy.