26 August 2005

Mabel Osborne

From Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters (1916)

Mabel Osborne

Your red blossoms amid green leaves
Are drooping, beautiful geranium!
But you do not ask for water.
You cannot speak! You do not need to speak—
Everyone knows that you are dying of thirst,
Yet they do not bring water!
They pass on, saying:
“The geranium wants water.”
And I, who had happiness to share
And longed to share your happiness:
I who loved you, Spoon River,
And craved your love,
Withered before your eyes, Spoon River—
Thirsting, thirsting,
Voiceless from chasteness of soul to ask you for love,
You who knew and saw me perish before you,
Like this geranium which someone has planted over me,
And left to die.

1 comment:

Maureen said...

Thanks for reminding me of this lovely collection. I first discovered it in high school - I'm not much for poetry, but I really fell in love with this stuff. Now I'll have to dig out my copy and reread it...