Poem to song: To all parents, Edgar Guest

Simply my favorite poem turned into a song. The poem is by Edgar Guest, the photos are from www.photosearch.de. I claim no rights. Music by me.

On a lot of websites that use the poem "To all parents", the author is listed as "unknown". That may look nice and give the poem a mysterious vibe, but it's not true. Edgar Guest wrote it for his son, so the nameless child in the poem is referred to as "he". But it was written for all the parents out there in mind, which is why I love it so much.

To all parents, by Edgar Guest

"I'll lend you for a while a child of mine," He said.
"For you to love the while he lives and mourn for when he's dead.

It may be six or seven years, or twenty-two or three,
But will you, till I call him back, take care of him for me?

He'll bring his charms to gladden you, and should his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories as solace for your grief."

"I cannot promise he will stay; since all from earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn.

I've looked the wide world over in My search for teachers true
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes I have selected you.

Now will you give him all your love, not take the labor vain,
Nor hate Me when I come to call to take him home again?"

"I fancied that I heard them say, "Dear Lord, Thy will be done!
And for the joy Thy child shall bring, the risk of grief I run.

We'll shelter him with tenderness, we'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known, forever grateful stay;

But should the angels call for him much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• parents
• children
• edgar
• guest
• poem
• song

[leelee301286]

beautiful xxx rip my little angels xxx

[MrsBarker97]

i have ALWAYS LOVED THIS POEM by Edgar Guest. it give me piece even though i never lost a child; but i have lost MANY FRIENDS; my DAD; FAMILY....THANKS FOR SHARING THIS AS A SONG!

[chevygurl510]

yes he does

[xolitaire]

@chevygurl510 You are most welcome! It is a fact that many websites use this poem because it is really beautiful and often post the author as "unknown". This is really sad, because I love Edgar Guest and he deserves to be noticed.

[chevygurl510]

1996 my baby past away and someone sent me a poem and it was this one I never knew who sent it but I really wish I could thank them and now after 15 years I know who the poem is by thank you for posting this

[snowblind8810]

So pretty!