TO HIS SAVIOUR, A CHILD; A PRESENT BY A CHILD

Go pretty child, and bear this flower

Unto thy little Saviour;

And tell Him, by that bud now blown,

He is the Rose of Sharon known:

When thou hast said so, stick it there

Upon his bib, or stomacher:

And tell Him, (for good handsell too)

That thou hast bought a whistle new,

Made of a clean straight oaten reed,

To charm His cries, (at time of need:)

Tell Him, for coral, thou hast none;

But if thou hadst, He should have one;

But poor thou art, and known to be

Even as moneyless as He.

Lastly, if thou canst win a kiss

From those mellifluous lips of His;

Then never take a second on

To spoil the first impression.

Robert Herrick