The wife sat thoughtfully turning over āàA book inscribed with the school-girl's name; A tear-one tear-fell hot on the cover āàShe quickly closed when her husband came. He came, and he went away-it was nothing- āàWith cold calm words upon either side; But, just at the sound of the room-door shutting, āàA dreadful door in her soul stood wide. Love, she had read of in sweet romances,- āàLove that could sorrow, but never fail, Built her own palace of noble fancies, āàAll the wide world a fairy tale. Bleak and bitter, and utterly doleful, āàSpreads to this woman her map of life; Hour after hour she looks in her soul, full āàOf deep dismay and turbulent strife. Face in both hands, she knelt on the carpet; āàThe black cloud loosen'd, the storm-rain fell: Oh! life has so much to wilder and warp it,- āàOne poor heart's day what poet could tell? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FISHER by JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 1. HIS EXCUSE FOR LOVING by BEN JONSON MAIDEN MELANCHOLY by RAINER MARIA RILKE THE WHITE CHARGER by ABUS SALT A COWBOY'S WORRYING LOVE by JAMES BARTON ADAMS ANTIMENIDAS by ALCAEUS OF MYTILENE |