215 A Woman’s Thought

I AM a woman—therefore I may not

Call to him, cry to him,

Fly to him,

Bid him delay not!

Then when he comes to me, I must sit quiet;

Still as a stone—

All silent and cold.

If my heart riot—

Crush and defy it!

Should I grow bold,

Say one dear thing to him,

All my life fling to him,

Cling to him—

What to atone

Is enough for my sinning!

This were the cost to me,

This were my winning—

That he were lost to me.

Not as a lover

At last if he part from me,

Tearing my heart from me,

Hurt beyond cure—

Calm and demure

Then must I hold me,

In myself fold me,

Lest he discover;

Showing no sign to him

By look of mine to him

What he has been to me—

How my heart turns to him,

Follows him, yearns to him,

Prays him to love me.

Pity me, lean to me,

Thou God above me!