by Sara Teasdale (1884 - 1933)
The old maid
Language: English
I saw her in a Broadway car, The woman I might grow to be; I felt my lover look at her And then turn suddenly to me. Her hair was dull and drew no light, And yet its color was as mine; Her eyes were strangely like my eyes, Tho' love had never made them shine. Her body was a thing grown thin, Hungry for love that never came; Her soul was frozen in the dark, Unwarmed forever by love's flame. I felt my lover look at her And then turn suddenly to me -- His eyes were magic to defy The woman I shall never be.
Text Authorship:
- by Sara Teasdale (1884 - 1933), "The old maid" [author's text not yet checked 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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "The old maid", 2007 [mezzo-soprano and piano], from New York Sorrows, no. 4 [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-02-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 106