Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900.

By WinifredHowells

1531 Past

THERE, as she sewed, came floating through her head

Odd bits of poems, learned in other days

And long forgotten in the noisier ways

Through which the fortunes of her life now led;

And looking up, she saw upon the shelf

In dusty rank her favorite poets stand,

All uncaressed by her fond eye or hand;

And her heart smote her, thinking how herself

Had loved them once and found in them all good

As well as beauty, filling every need;

But now they could not fill the emptiness

Of heart she felt ev’n in her gayest mood.

She wanted once no work her heart to feed,

And to be idle once was no distress.