Dauphin

A ring of gold for you, my son,

Set with jewels, for you to wear

Around your pretty baby hair.

Such a sparkling surprise!

I see it glitter in your eyes.

Ah, no-too heavy for a little one.

Watch it turning in my hand.

See diamonds bright

Like stars that light the sky at night,

Or dew-spheres on the morning grass,

Sun mirrors, my son,

That catch the light like glass.

Sapphires bluer than the sky

Bluer, yes, than Galilee,

Than the distant western sea,

Bluer than your smiling eyes

Gazing up at me.

Oh pretty rubies! Drops of wine,

Red as the royal robes of kings,

Redder than the fresh turned earth,

Red as the berries on the briar,

Cold, but red and flashing fire.

Pearls, moon-white, lustre-light,

Smooth as the dogwood flower, my son,

White as the dove against the sea,

Pale as cloud-light, pale as death-white,

Pale as the hand you reach to me.

Topaz, gold as the evening cloud,

Golden as the morning sky,

Gold as a temple vase, my child,

Golden, golden, as the sun,

A shaft of sun behind a tree.

Emeralds green as new spring grass

After-rain,areen, April field green,

Green as the rain washed trees we pass,

Deep as the figs where sparrows sing.

Diamonds bright

Like stars that light the sky at night,

Like riplets on a running stream

That leap the rill to catch the gleam

And dew-spheres on the morning grass,

Sun mirrors, my son,

That catch the light like tears.

Now we have turned the circle around

We’ll put the pretty toy away

And save it for another day.

It’s much too large as yet, we’ve found.

Now go to sleep my pretty boy.

Go to sleep my son.

I’ll watch until the morning comes.