Poems — Ballade D'une Grande Dame

BALLADE D'UNE GRANDE DAME

Heaven shall forgive you Bridge at dawn, The clothes you wear--or do not wear-- And Ladies' Leap-frog on the lawn And dyes and drugs, and _petits verres.

_ Your vicious things shall melt in air ...

...

But for the Virtuous Things you do, The Righteous Work, the Public Care, It shall not be forgiven you.

Because you could not even yawn When your Committees would prepare To have the teeth of paupers drawn, Or strip the slums of Human Hair;

Because a Doctor Otto Maehr Spoke of "a segregated few"-- And you sat smiling in your chair-- It shall not be forgiven you.

Though your sins cried to---Father Vaughan, These desperate you could not spare Who steal, with nothing left to pawn;

You caged a man up like a bear For ever in a jailor's care Because his sins were more than _two_ ...

...

I know a house in Hoxton where It shall not be forgiven you.

ENVOI

Princess, you trapped a guileless Mayor To meet some people that you knew ...

When the Last Trumpet rends the air It shall not be forgiven you.