| “BE calm? And was I frantic? | |
| You’ll have me laughing soon. | |
| I’m calm as this Atlantic, | |
| And quiet as the moon; | |
| I may have spoken faster | 5 |
| Than once, in other days; | |
| For I’ve no more a master, | |
| And now—‘Be calm,’ he says. | |
| |
| “Fear not, fear no commotion,— | |
| I’ll be as rocks and sand; | 10 |
| The moon and stars and ocean | |
| Will envy my command; | |
| No creature could be stiller | |
| In any kind of place | |
| Than I … No, I’ll not kill her; | 15 |
| Her death is in her face. | |
| |
| “Be happy while she has it, | |
| For she’ll not have it long; | |
| A year, and then you’ll pass it, | |
| Preparing a new song. | 20 |
| And I’m a fool for prating | |
| Of what a year may bring, | |
| When more like her are waiting | |
| For more like you to sing. | |
| |
| “You mock me with denial, | 25 |
| You mean to call me hard? | |
| You see no room for trial | |
| When all my doors are barred? | |
| You say, and you’d say dying, | |
| That I dream what I know; | 30 |
| And sighing, and denying, | |
| You’d hold my hand and go. | |
| |
| “You scowl—and I don’t wonder; | |
| I spoke too fast again; | |
| But you’ll forgive one blunder, | 35 |
| For you are like most men: | |
| You are,—or so you’ve told me, | |
| So many mortal times, | |
| That heaven ought not to hold me | |
| Accountable for crimes. | 40 |
| |
| “Be calm? Was I unpleasant? | |
| Then I’ll be more discreet, | |
| And grant you, for the present, | |
| The balm of my defeat: | |
| What she, with all her striving, | 45 |
| Could not have brought about, | |
| You’ve done. Your own contriving | |
| Has put the last light out. | |
| |
| “If she were the whole story, | |
| If worse were not behind, | 50 |
| I’d creep with you to glory, | |
| Believing I was blind; | |
| I’d creep, and go on seeming | |
| To be what I despise. | |
| You laugh, and say I’m dreaming, | 55 |
| And all your laughs are lies. | |
| |
| “Are women mad? A few are, | |
| And if it’s true you say— | |
| If most men are as you are— | |
| We’ll all be mad some day. | 60 |
| Be calm—and let me finish; | |
| There’s more for you to know. | |
| I’ll talk while you diminish, | |
| And listen while you grow. | |
| |
| “There was a man who married | 65 |
| Because he couldn’t see; | |
| And all his days he carried | |
| The mark of his degree. | |
| But you—you came clear-sighted, | |
| And found truth in my eyes; | 70 |
| And all my wrongs you’ve righted | |
| With lies, and lies, and lies. | |
| |
| “You’ve killed the last assurance | |
| That once would have me strive | |
| To rouse an old endurance | 75 |
| That is no more alive. | |
| It makes two people chilly | |
| To say what we have said, | |
| But you—you’ll not be silly | |
| And wrangle for the dead. | 80 |
| |
| “You don’t? You never wrangle? | |
| Why scold then,—or complain? | |
| More words will only mangle | |
| What you’ve already slain. | |
| Your pride you can’t surrender? | 85 |
| My name—for that you fear? | |
| Since when were men so tender, | |
| And honor so severe? | |
| |
| “No more—I’ll never bear it. | |
| I’m going. I’m like ice. | 90 |
| My burden? You would share it? | |
| Forbid the sacrifice! | |
| Forget so quaint a notion, | |
| And let no more be told; | |
| For moon and stars and ocean | 95 |
| And you and I are cold.” | |
