The Childs Monitor by Adelaide Okeeffe

The Childs Monitor, Adelaide O’Keeffe was an Irish poet and novelist who was best known for her highly successful collections of verse written especially for children.

She was also responsible for historical novels such as Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, written in 1814. This was a novel with strong religious themes throughout, focusing on conversions from paganism to Judaism and also from Judaism to Christianity. She also made other significant contributions to pedagogical literature, offering readers the chance to benefit from her religious training methods.

The Childs Monitor by Adelaide Okeeffe

The Childs Monitor

THE wind blows down the largest tree,
And yet the wind I cannot see!
Playmates far off, who have been kind,
My thought can bring before my mind;
The past by it is present brought,
And yet I cannot see my thought;
The charming rose scents all the air,
Yet I can see no perfume there.

Blithe Robin’s notes how sweet, how clear!
From his small bill they reach my ear,
And whilst upon the air they float,
I hear, yet cannot see a note.
When I would do what is forbid,

By something in my heart I’m chid;
When good, I think, then quick and pat,
That something says, “My child, do that:”
When I too near the stream would go,
So pleased to see the waters flow,

That something says, without a sound,
“Take care, dear child, you may be drown’d: ”
And for the poor whene’er I grieve,
That something says, “A penny give.”

Thus something very near must be,
Although invisible to me;
Whate’er I do, it sees me still:
O then, good Spirit, guide my will.