"Behold the Child"

Listen to:

"Behold the Child" - excerpt from Intimations of Immortality (4:06)

by William Wordworth

performed by Bob Gonzalez, rhapsode

III

Behold the Child among his new-born blisses,     

A six years' darling of a pigmy size!           

See, where 'mid work of his own hand he lies,     

Fretted by sallies of his mother's kisses,   

With light upon him from his father's eyes!           

See, at his feet, some little plan or chart,   

Some fragment from his dream of human life,    

Shaped by himself with newly-learnèd art;         

    A wedding or a festival,   

    A mourning or a funeral;

        And this hath now his heart,  

    And unto this he frames his song:         

        Then will he fit his tongue      

To dialogues of business, love, or strife;    

        But it will not be long  

        Ere this be thrown aside,        

        And with new joy and pride   

The little actor cons another part; 

Filling from time to time his 'humorous stage'     

With all the Persons, down to palsied Age,           

That Life brings with her in her equipage;           

        As if his whole vocation           

        Were endless imitation.