A Woman’s Shortcomings
She has laughed as softly as if she sighed,
She has counted six and over,
Of a purse well filled, and a heart well tried-
Oh each a worthy lover!
They “give her time”; for her soul must slip
Where the world has set the grooving:
She will lie to none with her fair red lip-
But love seeks truer loving.
She has counted six and over,
Of a purse well filled, and a heart well tried-
Oh each a worthy lover!
They “give her time”; for her soul must slip
Where the world has set the grooving:
She will lie to none with her fair red lip-
But love seeks truer loving.
She trembles her fan in a sweetness dumb,
As her thoughts were beyond recalling,
With a glance for one, and a glance for some,
For her eyelids rising and falling:
Speaks common words with a blushful air,
Hears bold words, unreproving;
But her silence says – what she never will swear-
And love seeks better loving.
Go, Lady lean to the night-guitar,
And drop a smile to the bringer
Then smile as sweetly, when he is far,
At the voice of an indoor singer.
Bask tenderly beneath tender eyes:
Glance lightly at their removing;
And join new vows to old perjuries-
But dare not call it loving.
Unless you can think, when song is done,
No other is soft in the rhythm;
Unless you can feel, when left by one,
That all men else go with him;
Unless you can know, when unpraised by his breath,
That your beauty itself wants proving;
Unless you can swear, “For life, For death!”-
Oh fear not call it loving!
Unless you can muse in a crowd all day,
On the absent face that fixed you;
Unless you can love as the Angels may,
With the breadth of heaven betwixt you:
Unless you can dream that his faith is fast,
Through behoving and unbehoving:
Unless you can die when the dream is past-
Oh never call it loving!
~Elizabeth Barret Browing
This poem reminds me of Memoirs of Geisha – I love that movie – I love this poem - Women are Amazing!!!
