| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 394. To a Young Girl Dying |
| | | With a Gift of Fresh Palm-Leaves |
| | | By Thomas William Parsons |
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| THIS is Palm Sunday: mindful of the day, | |
| I bring palm branches, found upon my way: | |
| But these will wither; thine shall never die,— | |
| The sacred palms thou bearest to the sky! | |
| Dear little saint, though but a child in years, | 5 |
| Older in wisdom than my gray compeers! | |
| We doubt and tremble,—we, with bated breath, | |
| Talk of this mystery of life and death: | |
| Thou, strong in faith, art gifted to conceive | |
| Beyond thy years, and teach us to believe! | 10 |
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| Then take my palms, triumphal, to thy home, | |
| Gentle white palmer, never more to roam! | |
| Only, sweet sister, give me, ere thou go’st, | |
| Thy benediction,—for my love thou know’st! | |
| We, too, are pilgrims, travelling towards the shrine: | 15 |
| Pray that our pilgrimage may end like thine! | |
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