Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917.

I Met Three Lovers

Eda Lou Walton

I MET three lovers

In a crowd:

One was free,

And one was bowed,

And the third one spoke

Too loud.

To each of them

I spoke just this:

“Walk to the hill-tops

If you would kiss;

For to me it has always

Seemed amiss

To lend my lips

In a valley.”

Up my first lover

Went with me—

My stalwart lover

Who was free.

He saw the sadness

In my eyes,

And left me

Laughingly.

For lover two

The way was long,

But as we went

His step grew strong.

He saw the laughter

On my lips,

And only kissed

My finger-tips.

Then he who was last

Went up with me.

His voice grew soft

In humility;

So on the hills

I gave my kiss,

And spent my life

In the valley.