Sara Teasdale, comp. (1884–1933).
The Answering Voice: One Hundred Love Lyrics by Women. 1917.

Menace

Katharine Tynan

I CAME into your room and spoke.

Sudden I knew you were not there.

The easy, common sentence broke

Against the unanswering air.

My heart shook like a frightened bird,

And to my ear the terror said,

Where nothing spoke and nothing stirred,—

Dear God, if he were dead!

I heard your footstep in the house,

Your voice brought comfort to my fear.

But, fluttering like a frightened mouse,

My heart beat at my ear.

The room wore its familiar face;

On the warm hearth spirted the flame.

Yet—menace of an empty place—

Lord, if he never came!