| William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. (1878–1962). Anthology of Massachusetts Poets. 1922. |
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| In the Trolley Car |
| | | Ruth Baldwin Chenery |
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| THE SWART Italian in the trolley car, | |
| Hoarded his children in his arms and breast; | |
| The mother, all unheeding, sat afar, | |
| Her splendid eyes were vague, her lips compressed. | |
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| One Raphael-boy slipped from his father’s knee, | 5 |
| Climbed to her side, and gently stroked her cheek, | |
| She turned away, and would not hear his plea, | |
| She turned away, and would not even speak. | |
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| With trembling lips the child crept back again | |
| To the warm shelter of his father’s breast; | 10 |
| We looked indignant pity, for till then | |
| We thought that mother-love bore every test. | |
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| We rose to go, the father-mother said, | |
| In deep, low tones, “Don’t t’inka hard you bet | |
| The younges’ was too-seeck, and he is dead, | 15 |
| She will be alla right, when she forget.” | |
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| When she forgets! “Great-Heart,” hold closer yet | |
| Thy precious brood and let it feel no lack! | |
| Until her soul shall wake, but not forget, | |
| When the warm tides of love come surging back. | 20 |
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