| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22. | | | | The Spinners at Willowsleigh | | By Marya Zaturensky |
| | From “Spinners”
The young girl passes by
THE OLD women sit at Willowsleigh. They spin, | |
| And shriek and sing above the humming din. | |
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| They are so very old and brown and wise, | |
| One is afraid to look them in the eyes. | |
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| Their bony fingers make a chilly sound, | 5 |
| Like dead bones shaking six feet underground! | |
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| Their toothless singing mocks—they seem to say: | |
| “What I was yesterday you are today; | |
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| Stars kissed my eyes, the sunlight loved my brow— | |
| You’ll be tomorrow what I am now.” | 10 |
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| They dream and talk—they are so old and lean; | |
| And the whole world is young and fresh and green. | |
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| Once they were flowers, and flame, and living bread; | |
| Now they are old and strange, and almost dead! | |
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| The old women spin at Willowsleigh; they fool | 15 |
| And scold, and sleep. Once they were beautiful. | | | | |
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