The Dark Girl's Rhyme

Who was there had seen us

 Wouldn't bid him run?

Heavy lay between us

 All our sires had done.

There he was, a-springing

 Of a pious race,

Setting hags a-swinging

 In a market-place;

Sowing turnips over

 Where the poppies lay;

Looking past the clover,

 Adding up the hay;

Shouting through the Spring song,

 Clumping down the sod;

Toadying, in sing-song,

 To a crabbed god.

There I was, that came of

 Folk of mud and name-

I that had my name of

 Them without a name.

Up and down a mountain

 Streeled my silly stock;

Passing by a fountain,

 Wringing at a rock;

Devil-gotten sinners,

 Throwing back their heads,

Fiddling for their dinners,

 Kissing for their beds.

Not a one had seen us

 Wouldn't help him flee.

Angry ran between us

 Blood of him and me.

How shall I be mating

 Who have looked above-

Living for a hating,

 Dying of a love?