| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22. | | | | I Would Pretend | | By Marion Strobel |
| | From “Song Sketches”
NOW that between us there is nothing more | |
| To say, I would have loud and foolish speech | |
| With you, I would pretend I still adore | |
| Your voice: “Come, beautiful, draw near and teach | |
| The way my hands should go in a caress— | 5 |
| Should fingers trail as pink feet of a crane | |
| That skim the water?—or should fingers press | |
| Their weight heavily?” Draw near me again— | |
| What does it matter if the words you say | |
| Are lies, if they be sweet to listen to? | 10 |
| Your lips are quite as cruel, quite as gay | |
| As ever; and your eyes are honest blue…. | |
| Oh, be sublimely false (who are not true)— | |
| And I’ll pretend I love you … as I do! | | | | |
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