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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
CHILD-WIDOW, by MAY FOLWELL HOISINGTON First Line: Emaciated, tiny frame: the slave Last Line: This somber widowed child of hindustan. Subject(s): Children; Widows & Widowers; Childhood | |||
Emaciated, tiny frame: the slave Of any in the household. All her life Accurst. When barely nine years old, a wife And now, at twelve, a widow. She must shave Her head and break the bangles bridehood gave. Now all her days are toil, her nights are rife With hunger-pains. Useless her childish strife, Her tears and screams . . . her sanctum is the grave. Better for her the pyre and flaming breath Of pure release. While priestly superstition Says marriage binds the woman to one man Alive or dead; decrees a husband's death Her fault; no hope may ease her hard condition . . . . . . This somber widowed child of Hindustan. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE THREE CHILDREN by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN CHILDREN SELECTING BOOKS IN A LIBRARY by RANDALL JARRELL COME TO THE STONE ... by RANDALL JARRELL THE LOST WORLD by RANDALL JARRELL A SICK CHILD by RANDALL JARRELL CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS ON THE DEATH OF FRIENDS IN CHILDHOOD by DONALD JUSTICE |
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