by Richard Watson Gilder (1844 - 1909)
A Woman's Thought
Language: English
I am a woman — therefore I may not Call to him, cry to him, Fly to him, Bid him delay not! Then when he comes to me, I must sit quiet; Still as a stone — All silent and cold. If my heart riot — Crush and defy it! Should I grow bold. Say one dear thing to him. All my life fling to him, Cling to him — What to atone Is enough for my sinning! This were the cost to me. This were my winning — That he were lost to me. Not as a lover At last if he part from me, Tearing my heart from me, Hurt beyond cure — Calm and demure Then must I hold me, In myself fold me. Lest he discover; Showing no sign to him By look of mine to him What he has been to me — How my heart turns to him, Follows him, yearns to him, Prays him to love me. Pity me, lean to me, Thou God above me!
Confirmed with The Poems of Richard Watson Gilder, Boston & New York, 1908.
Authorship:
- by Richard Watson Gilder (1844 - 1909), "A Woman's Thought" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Richard Stöhr (1874 - 1967), "A Woman's Thought", op. 110 (Twelve Songs) no. 11 (1944-1945) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2021-09-12
Line count: 34
Word count: 173