William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. (18781962). 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 fathers 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 fathers 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, Dont tinka 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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