Sara Teasdale, comp. (1884–1933).
The Answering Voice: One Hundred Love Lyrics by Women. 1917. | | | | Service | | By Anna Hempstead Branch |
| | | IF I could only serve him, | |
| How sweet this life would be. | |
| Last night I dreamed my darling, | |
| Alive, returned to me. | |
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| I brought him from the cupboard | 5 |
| The things he liked to eat,— | |
| The little piece of honey, | |
| The rye bread and the meat. | |
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| I sang the song he asked for | |
| The night he went away. | 10 |
| How was it, when I loved him, | |
| I could have said him nay! | |
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| I took the time to please him, | |
| With a hand upon his brow. | |
| Amid the awful leisure | 15 |
| There was no hurry now. | |
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| How strange I once denied him | |
| What took so little while. | |
| A kiss would seem so simple, | |
| So slight a thing a smile. | 20 |
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| With pleased sweet looks of wonder | |
| He took what I could give,— | |
| Such words as we deny them | |
| Only because they live. | |
| |
| The pale light of the morning | 25 |
| Shone in upon the wall. | |
| Come back to me, my darling, | |
| And I will give you all. | | | | |
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