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Musings in Maoriland

Our Little Darling

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Our Little Darling.

The wattle trees begin to bloom,
  And load the air with sweet perfume;
  But spring's green robe is edged with gloom:
   We've lost our little darling.

No more beneath the spreading gum
Our darling and the lambkins come;
The little prattling mouth is dumb—
  We've lost our little darling.

No longer to the creekside she
With little pail runs after me;
Shep frisks about no more with glee
  To play with little darling.

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The magpie's notes at early dawn,
Which used to wake our pretty fawn,
Remind us that our love light's gone—
  At morn we miss our darling.

At night we hear the gum-leaves stir,
Whilst listening to the 'possum's burr,
'Tis wearisome when wanting her—
  Ah! then we miss our darling.

A big, brown snake1, one sultry noon,
Played with her near the broad lagoon,
At our approach he vanished soon,
  But left unhurt our darling.

She followed him with childish mirth,
Which told us she was not of earth;
A charm hung round her from her birth;
  The angels watched our darling.

page 295

She brought from homes where seraphs stay,
To gild our hearts a golden ray;
It shone a short, short summer day,
  Then faded with our darling.

Her time with us, alas! was short;
From paradise came this report—
"A cherub strayed from Heaven's court,
  Give up your little darling."

Her tiny feet have left no print,
Her rosy cheeks have left no tint;
God wanted treasure in His mint,
  And took our little darling.