| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 1000. A Woman’s Execution |
| | | (Paris, 1871) |
| | | By Edward King |
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| SWEET-BREATHED and young, | |
| The people’s daughter, | |
| No nerves unstrung, | |
| Going to slaughter! | |
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| “Good morning, friends, | 5 |
| You ’ll love us better,— | |
| Make us amends: | |
| We ’ve burst your fetter! | |
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| “How the sun gleams! | |
| (Women are snarling): | 10 |
| Give me your beams, | |
| Liberty’s darling! | |
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| “Marie ’s my name; | |
| Christ’s mother bore it. | |
| That badge? No shame: | 15 |
| Glad that I wore it!” | |
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| (Hair to her waist, | |
| Limbs like a Venus): | |
| Robes are displaced: | |
| “Soldiers, please screen us! | 20 |
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| “He at the front? | |
| That is my lover: | |
| Stood all the brunt;— | |
| Now—the fight’s over. | |
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| “Powder and bread | 25 |
| Gave out together: | |
| Droll! to be dead | |
| In this bright weather! | |
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| “Jean, boy, we might | |
| Have married in June! | 30 |
| This the wall? Right! | |
| Vive la Commune!” | |
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