"The Blind Slave Boy,
or
Come back to me, Mother." [1865]
[Words--anonymous]
composed by
J. William Suffern,
Author of "Johnny Keane's Courtship," "Whispering Angel,"
"Happy dream of Childhood's Home," &c.

Toledo, OH: W. W. WHITNEY, No. 151 Summit St.
[Source:1865-200002037@LoC/IHAS-CWM]

1. Come back to me, mother! why linger away
From thy poor little blind boy, the long weary day?
I mark every footstep, I list to each tone,
And wonder my mother should leave me alone,
There are voices of sorrow, and voices of glee,
But there’s no one to joy or to sorrow with me,
For each hath of pleasure, and trouble his share,
And none for the poor little blind boy will care. 

2. My mother, come back to me, close to thy breast,
Once more let thy poor little blind one be press’d;
Once more let me feel thy warm breath on my cheek,
And hear thee in accents of tenderness speak.
Poor blind one! no mother thy wailing can hear,
No mother can hasten to bannish thy fear,
For the slave owner drives her o’er mountain and wild,
And for one paltry dollar, hath sold the poor child.

3. Ah! who can in language of mortals reveal
The anguish that none but a mother can feel;
When man in his vile lust to mammon has trod,
On her child who is stricken and smitten of God,
Blind, helpless, forsaken, with strangers alone,
She hears, in her anguish, his piteous moan,
As he eagerly listens, but listens in vain,
To catch the lov’d tones of his mother again.