A little child, with sunny hair and eyes,
Came dancing down the path with merry feet,
Naught seeing but the silver tinted skies,
Nor caring save the robin's song to greet.
A tiny pansy by the roadside grew,
And blossomed sweetly in the noon-day sun;
It gloried not in shining crown of dew,
And only lived to love the little one.
Oh, hapless fate! the careless step brings grief;
The fragile, pure-eyed flower lies still in death;
It never more will stir a velvet leaf,
Or sweet the dainty zephyr with its breath,
The roses bow their heads in bitter woe;
The stately lily drops a pitying tear:
The grasses, waving sadly to and fro,
Send weeping whispers far and near.
Ah! so it is throughout the whole wide earth;
The faithless happy one meets all with jest,
And passing gaily by in joyous mirth,
Unheeding, breaks the heart that loves it best.