A mother speaks to her little girl, who has been sobbing and sulking. She misses the cheerful, mild child she loves to kiss, and she is troubled by the angry, tear-streaked face she sees now. Her tone is gentle but insistent: she reminds the girl that God is always watching, even in the dark or when no one else is around, and this should encourage better behavior. The poem feels like a soft-spoken scold wrapped in a hug—the speaker is clearly affectionate, but she is also teaching a stern lesson about self-control and accountability. The mood is old-fashioned and pious, with a quiet intensity that comes from deep care. By the end, the mother shifts toward hope, urging her daughter to pray for forgiveness and promising that a life free from such “naughty” passions leads to lasting happiness, both here and in the afterlife.
For a Naughty Little Girl — Summary
My sweet little girl should be cheerful and mild She must not be fretful and cry! Oh! why is this passion? remember, my child, GOD sees you, who lives in the sky.
That dear little face, that I like so to kiss, How alter'd and sad it appears! Do you think I can love you so naughty as this, Or kiss you, all wetted with tears?
Remember, though GOD is in Heaven, my love, He sees you within and without, And always looks down, from His glory above, To notice what you are about.
If I am not with you, or if it be dark, And nobody is in the way, His eye is as able your doings to mark, In the night as it is in the day.
Then dry up your tears and look smiling again, And never do things that are wrong; For I'm sure you must feel it a terrible pain, To be naughty and crying so long.
We'll pray, then, that GOD may your passion forgive, And teach you from evil to fly; And then you'll be happy as long as you live, And happy whenever you die.