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He stood still, and his gaze Was far off, and slow And quiet the words he says: “Nancy, I must go.”

In my still heart's deep I gloried in the trust He handed me to keep, In his quiet “I must.”

No more we said that night, But sat in the gloom; We sat without candle-light In our little room.

Handfast, like girl and boy, There we sat on, Hoarding our store of joy Against he were gone.

Handfast, like boy and girl, And my eyes they did fill; But my heart was in a whirl To have him there still.

‘ Twas when we were abed, And I against his heart, That I knew the great dread It would be to part.

Old sayings, that sounded new, Sweet, every broken word — “My Nancy, sweet and true, My pretty wild bird!”

I let him kiss me, but I Lay quite still in his arm: If I had started to cry God only knew the harm!

And if he thought me cool ‘ Twould make an easier going; But if he thought me cool ‘ Twas not for want of knowing.

Towards the twilight gray When my love was sleeping, I sat upright to pray, And heard the sparrows cheeping.

It was their fond love-twitter That broke my prayer down, Turn'd all my faith bitter, To set it by their own.

Their love-life to begin, And mine now — where? Their nest to win, Mine soon to be bare!

I lookt forth from my bed To the cold square of the light — Unto God I said, “Show me why men must fight,

“You, Who to each one say, Love you one another; You, Who bid women obey Husbands, and sons their mother;

“You, Who of me require To love what I cannot see, Milk and a heart of fire To nourish what may not be!

“Shall my milk be churn'd into gall, Or my blood freeze at the fount, And You make light of it all, And my love of little account?”

Then as I held my throat, God answer'd me by a bird, One long flourishing note, The bravest I ever heard;

And I turn'd where my love lay fast In his wholesome sleep; About him my arms I cast And found grace to weep.

He would do what was right, As I knew very well — Yes, but who made them fight, And turn'd our heaven to hell?

The more I listen the sighs, The mourning and the dearth, The deeper my heart cries Over this wounded earth.