Her Soul's Death-Cry
To whom shall I cry,
And who will hear my crying?
Nor father, brother, husband, son,
Nor God on high
Can ever know the pain
Of the woman-soul self-slain
That man may be strong and whole,
Draining his last deep draught of soul,
From her soul — dying:
Even my own
Quick mother-heart is cruel as stone,
When, with fear-blinded eyes
My soul from passion flies
Seeking for Paradise.
Mine the inexorable doom
Of rebel breast and tyrant womb,
And secret agonies
Of hope and fear that burn
And who will hear my crying?
Nor father, brother, husband, son,
Nor God on high
Can ever know the pain
Of the woman-soul self-slain
That man may be strong and whole,
Draining his last deep draught of soul,
From her soul — dying:
Even my own
Quick mother-heart is cruel as stone,
When, with fear-blinded eyes
My soul from passion flies
Seeking for Paradise.
Mine the inexorable doom
Of rebel breast and tyrant womb,
And secret agonies
Of hope and fear that burn