Elizabeth Akers Allen （b. 1832,-） was born at Strong,Maine,and passed her childhood amidst the picturesque scenery of that neighborhood. She lost her mother when very young,but inherited her grace and delicacy of thought. Shortly after her mother’s death,her father removed tFarmington,Maine,a town noted for its literary people. Mrs. Allen‘s early pieces appeared over the pseudonym of "Florence Percy." Her first verses appeared when she was twelve years old;and her first volume,entitled "Forest Buds from the Woods of Maine," was Published in 1856. For some years she was assistant editor of the "Portland Transcript." The following selection was claimed by five different persons,whattempted tsteal the honor of its composition.
1.Backward,turn backward,Time,in your flight,Make me a child again,just for to-night!
Mother,come back from the echoless shore,Take me again tyour heart as of yore;Kiss from my forehead the furrows of care,Smooth the few silver threads out of my hair;Over my slumbers your loving watch keep;- Rock me tsleep,mother,-rock me tsleep!
2.Backward,flow backward,tide of the years! I am sweary of toil and of tears;Toil without recompense,tears all in vain;Take them,and give me my childhood again! I have grown weary of dust and decay,- Weary of flinging my soul wealth away;Weary of sowing for others treap;-Rock me tsleep,mother,-rock me tsleep!
3.Tired of the hollow,the base,the untrue,Mother,mother,my heart calls for you! Many a summer the grass has grown green,Blossomed and faded,our faces between:
Yet with strong yearning and passionate pain,Long I to-night for your presence again. Come from the silence slong and sdeep;- Rock me tsleep,mother,-rock me tsleep!
4.Over my heart in the days that are flown,Nlove like mother love ever has shone;Nother worship abides and endures,Faithful,unselfish,and patient like yours: None like a mother can charm away painFrom the sick soul,and the world-weary brain. Slumber’s soft calms o‘er my heavy lids creep;- Rock me tsleep,mother,-rock me tsleep!
5.Come,let your brown hair,just lighted with gold,Fall on your shoulders again,as of old;Let it drop over my forehead to-night,Shading my faint eyes away from the light;For with its sunny-edged shadows once more,Haply will throng the sweet visions of yore;Lovingly,softly,its bright billows sweep;- Rock me tsleep,mother,-rock me tsleep!
6.Mother,dear mother,the years have been long Since I last listened your lullaby song;Sing,then,and untmy soul it shall seemWomanhood’s years have been only a dream! Clasped tyour heart in a loving embrace,With your light lashes just sweeping my face,Never hereafter twake or tweep;-Rock me tsleep,mother,-rock me tsleep!