A Child's Laughter
ALL the bells of heaven may ring,All the birds of heaven may sing,All the wells on earth may spring,All the winds on earth may bringAll sweet sounds together---Sweeter far than all things heard,Hand of harper, tone of bird,Sound of woods at sundawn stirred,Welling water's winsome word,Wind in warm wan weather,
One thing yet there is, that noneHearing ere its chime be doneKnows not well the sweetest oneHeard of man beneath the sun,Hoped in heaven hereafter;Soft and strong and loud and light,Very sound of very lightHeard from morning's rosiest height,When the soul of all delightFills a child's clear laughter.
Golden bells of welcome rolledNever forth such notes, nor toldHours so blithe in tones so bold,As the radiant mouth of goldHere that rings forth heaven.If the golden-crested wrenWere a nightingale---why, then,Something seen and heard of menMight be half as sweet as whenLaughs a child of seven.
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