To All Parents

by Edgar Guest

I’ll lend you for a little time a child of mine, he said,
For you to love the while she lives and mourn for when she’s dead,
Maybe six or seven years or twenty-two or three,
But will you, ‘til I call her back, take care of her for me?

She’ll bring her charms to gladden you,
And shall her stay be brief,
You’ll have her lovely memories as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise she will stay, since all from Earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn.

I’ve looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true,
And from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes, I have selected you.
Now will you give her all your love, nor think the labor vain,
nor hate me when I come to call to take her back again?

I fancy that I heard them say, “Dear Lord your will be done,”
For all the joy your child shall bring, the risk of grief will run.
We’ll shelter her with tenderness, we’ll love her why we may,
and for the happiness we’ve known, forever grateful stay.
But shall the angels call for her much sooner than we planned,
We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes,
And try to understand.