Past

There, as she sewed, came floating through her head Odd bits of poems, learned in other days And long forgotten in the noisier ways Through which the fortunes of her life now led; And looking up, she saw upon the shelf In dusty rank her favorite poets stand, All uncaressed by her fond eye or hand; And her heart smote her, thinking how herself Had loved them once and found in them all good As well as beauty, filling every need; But now they could not fill the emptiness Of heart she felt ev’n in her gayest mood. She wanted once no work her heart to feed, And to be idle once was no distress.

Collection: 
English
Winifred Howells

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