A Child's Laughter

All the bells of heaven may ring,
All the birds of heaven may sing,
All the wells on earth may spring
All the winds on earth may bring
All sweet sounds together.

Sweeter far than all things heard
Hand of harper, tone of bird;
Sounds of woods at sundown stirred
Welling water's winsome word
Wind in warm wan weather

One thing yet there is, that none
Hearing ere it's chime be done
Knows not well the sweetest one
Heard of man beneath the sun
Hoped in heaven hereafter.

Soft and strong and loud and light
Very sound of very light
Heard from morning's rosiest height,
When the soul, of all delight
Fills a child's clear laughter

Golden bells of welcome rolled
Never forth such notes, nor told
Hours so blithe, in tone so bold,
As the radiant mouth of gold.
Here that rings forth heaven.

                                             --A.C. Swinburne