MY wife lost her health, And dwindled until she weighed scarce ninety pounds. Then that woman, whom the men Styled Cleopatra, came along. And we -- we married ones All broke our vows, myself among the rest. Years passed and one by one Death claimed them all in some hideous form, And I was borne along by dreams Of God's particular grace for me, And I began to write, write, write, reams on reams Of the second coming of Christ. Then Christ came to me and said, "Go into the church and stand before the congregation And confess your sin." But just as I stood up and began to speak I saw my little girl, who was sitting in the front seat -- My little girl who was born blind! After that, all is blackness! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DARK ROSALEEN by TOMAS COSTELLO DITTY IN IMITATION OF THE SPANISH: ENTRE TANTO QUE L'AVRIL by EDWARD HERBERT CURFEW by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW VALENTINES TO MY MOTHER: 1885 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI THE TENT ON THE BEACH: 10. THE PALATINE by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER |