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ONLY A WOMAN.
And when that heart grew colder—colder still,
I, ignorant, tried all duties to fulfil,
Blaming my foolish pain, exacting will,
I, ignorant, tried all duties to fulfil,
Blaming my foolish pain, exacting will,
All—anything but him. It was to be:
The full draught others drink up carelessly
Was made this bitter Tantalus-cup for me.
The full draught others drink up carelessly
Was made this bitter Tantalus-cup for me.
I say again—he gives me all I claimed,
I and my children never shall be shamed:
He is a just man—he will live unblamed.
I and my children never shall be shamed:
He is a just man—he will live unblamed.
Only—God, God, to cry for bread,
And get a stone! Daily to lay my head
Upon a bosom where the old love 's dead!
And get a stone! Daily to lay my head
Upon a bosom where the old love 's dead!
Dead?—Fool! It never lived. It only stirred
Galvanic, like an hour-cold corpse. None heard:
So let me bury it without a word.
Galvanic, like an hour-cold corpse. None heard:
So let me bury it without a word.
He '11 keep that other woman from my sight.
I know not if her face be foul or bright;
I only know that it was his delight—
I know not if her face be foul or bright;
I only know that it was his delight—
As his was mine: I only know he stands
Pale, at the touch of their long-severed hands,
Then to a flickering smile his lips commands,
Pale, at the touch of their long-severed hands,
Then to a flickering smile his lips commands,
