| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22. | | | | Apology | | By Fannie Stearns Gifford |
| | | NOW you are ugly. You are old. | |
| And you are poorer than a stone. | |
| And you are strong, but glacier-cold. | |
| And you are kind, but dead-alone. | |
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| And you—what children never came | 5 |
| To dance like brooks across your heart! | |
| And you—what trumpetings of fame | |
| Blew by, and left you locked apart! | |
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| Courageous traitor! masked in steel! | |
| How can you ache so, and yet live? | 10 |
| While I—though stars and sun may reel, | |
| I have had all that life could give. | |
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| Oh, do not hate me! Should I too | |
| Be Dearth’s straight-lipped proud body-slave? | |
| Forgive me, when you stare me through, | 15 |
| For never needing to be brave! | | | | |
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