If Mary Had Known

If Mary had knownWhen she held her Babe's hands in her own—Little hands that were tender and white as a rose,All dented with dimples from finger to wrist,Such as mothers have kissed—That one day they must feel the fierce blowsOf a hatred insane,Must redden with holiest stain,And grasp as their guerdon the boon of the bitterest pain,Oh, I think that her sweet, brooding faceMust have blanched with its anguish of knowledge above her embrace.

But—if Mary had known,As she held her Babe's hands in her own,What a treasure of gifts to the world they would bring;What healing and hope to the hearts that must ache,And without him must break;Had she known they would pluck forth death's stingAnd set open the doorOf the close, jealous grave evermore,Making free who were captives in sorrow and darkness before,Oh, I think that a gracious sunriseOf rapture had broken across the despair of her eyes!

If Mary had knownAs she sat with her baby alone,And guided so gently his bare little feetTo take their first steps from the throne of her knee,How weary must beThe path that for them should be meet;And how it must leadTo the cross of humanity's need,Giving hissing and shame, giving blame and reproach for its meed,Oh, I think that her tears would have dewedThose dear feet that must walk such a hard, starless way to the Rood!

But—if Mary had known,As she sat with her Baby alone,On what errands of mercy and peace they would go,How those footsteps would ring through the years of all timeWith an echo sublime,Making holy the land of their woe,That the pathway they trodWould guide the world back to its God,And lead ever upward away from the grasp of the clod,She had surely forgot to be sadAnd only remembered to be most immortally glad!

If Mary had known,As she held him so closely, her own,Cradling his shining, fair head on her breast,Sunned over with ringlets as bright as the morn,That a garland of thornOn that tender brow would be pressedTill the red drops would fallInto eyes that looked out upon all,Abrim with a pity divine over clamor and brawl,Oh, I think that her lullaby songWould have died on her lips into wailing impassioned and long!

But—if Mary had known,As she held him so closely, her own,That over the darkness and pain he would beThe Conqueror hailed in all oncoming days,The world's hope and praise,And the garland of thorn,The symbol of mocking and scornWould be a victorious diadem royally worn,Oh, I think that ineffable joyMust have flooded her soul as she bent o'er her wonderful Boy!