Irene's Dream
Have dreamed of goodness and a bettered world,
Have loathed my race, writhed at my sisters' wrongs,
Abhorred as hypocrites our masters, men,
The slaves of vice and folly, who have learnt
The list of woman's virtues well by heart;
To preach them to us with paternal smile,
Or pelt them at us with unhallowed sneers—
Then blushed repentant of my scorn, and asked
How am I better who have dreamed and yearned,
And passionately talked, but never yet
Have lifted up a finger for my kind?"
*****
No more I love you, now I only love
That which I thought you were; I have my dream
Unrealised, and therefore still my dream.
He has the real, he has all he sought;
And found it nothing.
Have loathed my race, writhed at my sisters' wrongs,
Abhorred as hypocrites our masters, men,
The slaves of vice and folly, who have learnt
The list of woman's virtues well by heart;
To preach them to us with paternal smile,
Or pelt them at us with unhallowed sneers—
Then blushed repentant of my scorn, and asked
How am I better who have dreamed and yearned,
And passionately talked, but never yet
Have lifted up a finger for my kind?"
*****
No more I love you, now I only love
That which I thought you were; I have my dream
Unrealised, and therefore still my dream.
He has the real, he has all he sought;
And found it nothing.
Another version, only conceived, with no attempt made to put it into words, was to represent Irene as not only forsaken but betrayed; and the author's purpose was to show how a woman may rise above the wronger and the wrong to heights whence she can look down at once on the fact, her own weakness, the social punishment and disgrace, and the unworthy one
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