"The Orphan's Lament;
or, I'm Standing by Your Grave Mother" (1855)
Written and affectionately inscribed to
her friend Harriet J. Bassett
by Sarah T. Bolton.
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875.

1.
I'm standing by your grave mother,
The winds are sobbing wild,
And the wintry stars look dimly down,
Upon your orphan child,
Dark clouds are wreathed along the sky,
In many a heavy fold
And the moonlight on the frosty grass,
Gleams very pale and cold,
  And the moonlight on the frosty grass,
  Gleams very pale and cold.

2.
We had a happy home mother
Upon the mountain side,
When the summer birds sang all day long,
Before dear father died,
Then mother dear, your cheek grew pale
and paler ev'ry day
Until at last the angels came,
And bore you too away,
  Until at last the angels came,
  And bore you too away.

3.
I had a gentle sister then,
She is not with me now,
For the gloomy shadow of the grave
Lies on her baby brow,
And strangers meet around the fire,
Upon the old hearth stone,
Oh mother in the cold wide world,
I'm all alone, alone.
  Oh mother in the cold wide world,
  I'm all alone, alone.

4.
I'm standing by your grave mother,
No human form is near;
And the fitful meaning of the wind,
Is all the sound I hear;
I tremble when the old trees toss
Their shadows to and fro,
But I'll shut my eyes, and say my prayers
You taught me long ago.
  But I'll shut my eyes, and say my prayers
  You taught me long ago.

5.
The morning sun looked gently down
O[']er frozen wold and wild,
And kissed the little pallid face
Of that poor orphan child;
She felt no more the stinging cold,
Nor heard the tempest rave;
The snow wreath was her winding sheet
Upon her mother's grave.
  The snow wreath was her winding sheet
  Upon her mother's grave.