I HEARD a woman sobbing in the night Against a casement high. And as she cried Our heartless world's deliberate homicide, Our tragic badinage, our mortal slight Of elemental claims, and the dark plight Of the poor I faced there, rigid, open-eyed. Across the unechoing street in silence died Her weary moaning. Whether in her sight Some star appeared to soothe her present pain With memories sweet, or quiet sleep's strong hand Blunted her keen-edged woe, or other fear Came smothering down too close for sob or tear, I could not guess;—some Fate may understand That spins unseen her endless umber skein. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PROVING by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON IRELAND; WRITTEN FOR THE ART AUTOGRAPH DURING IRISH FAMINE by SIDNEY LANIER TO NANNETTE FALK-AUERBACH by SIDNEY LANIER A DAY IN BED by KATHERINE MANSFIELD SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: BARNEY HAINSFEATHER by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |