POSSESSION

Y’ ai n't as pretty as some babies are —

But, oh, yer mine!

Yer lil’ fingers sorter seem t’ twine

Aroun’ my soul.

Yer eyes are bright, t’ me, as any star,

Yer hair's like gol’.

Some people say yer hair is sandy-red,

An’ that yer eyes is sorter wan an’ pale,

An’ that yer lil’ body looks, well, frail....

Y’ ai n't been fed

Like rich folks children are....

It takes fresh air

Ter keep a baby fat an’ strong an’ pink!

It takes more care,

‘ N I have time ter give....

An’ yet, if God'll only let yer live —

When yer first came,

An’ when I seen yer face, deep down inside

My heart I felt — well, sorter broke an’ tore,

‘ Cause when yer came ter me I like ter died,

An’ I had lost my job, there at th’ store.

I looked at you, an’ oh, it was n't pride

I felt, but bitterness an’ shame!

An’ then yer gropin’ fingers touched my hand,

As helpless as a snow-flake in the air,

Yer did n't know, yer could n't understand,

(‘ Cause yer was new t’ this cold-hearted land ),

That life ai n't fair!

Yer did n't know if I was good,‘ r bad,

‘ R much ter see —

Y’ only knew that I belonged, an’ oh,

Yer trusted me!

Somehow, right there, I did n't stop ter think

That yer was white an’ thin — instead o’ pink,

An’ that yer lips, an’ not yer eyes, was blue...

I got t’ thinkin’ how, when work was through

I'd sing t’ yer, an’ rock yer off t’ rest.

I got t’ thinkin’ that I had been blessed,

More than th’ richest girl I'd ever knew!

An’ oh, I held yer tight against my breast,

An’, lookin’ far ahead, I dreamed an’ planned

That I would work th’ fingers off my hand

Fer you!

An’ mother-love swept on me like a tide,

An’, oh, I cried!

Some people say yer hair is sandy-red,

But they do n't know;

They say yer eyes is sorter pale an’ weak,

But it ai n't so!

It's jus’ because yer never been well fed,

An’ never had a lil’ cribby bed;

It's jus’ because yer never had a peek

At th’ blue sky —

That's why!

Yer ai n't so pretty as some babies are,

But, oh, t’ me yer like a silver star

That, through th’ darkest night can smile an’ shine....

Yer ai n't as pretty as some babies are,

But, God, yer mine!