Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PALE WOMAN, by SARA BARD FIELD


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PALE WOMAN, by                    
First Line: Woman, why so pale and thin?
Last Line: Would strive in such a little place?
Alternate Author Name(s): Wood, Charles Erskine Scoot, Mrs.
Subject(s): White (color); Women


Woman, why so pale and thin?
A swan and a raven strive within.

From battling of beak am I wan and worn;
From grappling of white with black wing torn.

Woman, I hear no clash of wing.
In awful silence is done this thing.

They droop on my breast when weary of fight --
Swan on the left; raven on the right.

The left breast burns like a fiery cross;
The right breast blights like frozen moss.

If the white the black heart slay,
I shall be a nest for day.

But if the swan should vanquished be,
The raven with night will feather me.

Daily I rise and lay me down.
I comb my hair and smooth my gown,
And, basket on arm, go into town.

The neighbors see nothing strange or new:
A woman marketing, as they do --
Butter and eggs and a fish or two.

For who would dream my narrow clay
Could hold the clash of night and day?

Or that the birds of boundless space
Would strive in such a little place?





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