The Little Boy Found

When the “little boy” is “lost” in the “lonely fen” (Line 1), God is the saving force who rescues the child. The speaker makes a point of saying God is “ever nigh” (Line 3). God is ubiquitous, meaning He is in all places at all times. Because of God’s omnipresent nature, He is able to find the boy who strayed from his home. The boy, “led by the wandering light” (Line 2), initially seems to be without any aid in the marsh. The inclusion of the conjunction “but” shows that this is not always the case and there is an alternative: This alternative is God. Even wandering in the middle of nowhere, God finds the little boy and brings him to his mother. God is able to find his children anywhere and at any time—no matter their need. God takes on the appearance of a comforting parental figure in order to approach the child, appearing “like [a] father” (Line 4). Appearing to the boy as a parent helps build the boy’s trust and makes him feel at ease. God realizes a possibly malevolent force is leading the child astray, and He intercedes. He “kissed the child” (Line 5) and leads him by the hand, offering him the assurance so badly needed in the moment.