No children in the house to play— <br />It must be hard to live that way! <br />I wonder what the people do <br />When night comes on and the work is through, <br />With no glad little folks to shout, <br />No eager feet to race about, <br />No youthful tongues to chatter on <br />About the joy that's been and gone? <br />The house might be a castle fine, <br />But what a lonely place to dine! <br /> <br />No children in the house at all, <br />No fingermarks upon the wall, <br />No corner where the toys are piled— <br />Sure indication of a child. <br />No little lips to breathe the prayer <br />That God shall keep you in His care, <br />No glad caress and welcome sweet <br />When night returns you to your street; <br />No little lips a kiss to give— <br />Oh, what a lonely way to live! <br /> <br />No children in the house! I fear <br />We could not stand it half a year. <br />What would we talk about at night, <br />Plan for and work with all our might, <br />Hold common dreams about and find <br />True union of heart and mind, <br />If we two had no greater care <br />Than what we both should eat and wear? <br />We never knew love's brightest flame <br />Until the day the baby came. <br /> <br />And now we could not get along <br />Without their laughter and their song. <br />Joy is not bottled on a shelf, <br />It cannot feed upon itself, <br />And even love, if it shall wear, <br />Must find its happiness in care; <br />Dull we'd become of mind and speech <br />Had we no little ones to teach. <br />No children in the house to play! <br />Oh, we could never live that way!<br /><br />Edgar Albert Guest<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/no-children/
