I took my oath I would inquire, Without affection, hate, or wrath, Into the death of Ada Wright -- So help me God! I took that oath. When I went out to see the corpse, The four months' babe that died so young, I judged it was seven pounds in weight, And little more than one foot long. One eye, that had a yellow lid, Was shut -- so was the mouth, that smiled; The left eye open, shining bright -- It seemed a knowing little child. For as I looked at that one eye, It seemed to laugh, and say with glee: 'What caused my death you'll never know -- Perhaps my mother murdered me.' When I went into court again, To hear the mother's evidence -- It was a love-child, she explained. And smiled, for our intelligence. 'Now, Gentlemen of the Jury,' said The coroner -- 'this woman's child By misadventure met its death.' 'Aye, aye,' said we. The mother smiled. And I could see that child's one eye Which seemed to laugh, and say with glee: 'What caused my death you'll never know -- Perhaps my mother murdered me.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON A FAIR BEGGAR by PHILIP AYRES HATRED by GWENDOLYN B. BENNETT WHAT MY LOVER SAID by HOMER GREENE THE DRUM: THE NARRATIVE OF THE DEMON OF TEDWORTH by EDITH SITWELL JOURNEY by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN SANDY STAR: 2. LAUGHING IT OUT by WILLIAM STANLEY BRAITHWAITE |