To an Old Lady Seen at a Guesthouse for Soldiers

Item

To an Old Lady Seen at a Guesthouse for Soldiers

Quiet thou didst stand at thine appointed place,

There was no press to purchase -- younger grace

Attracts the youth of valour. Thou didst not know,

Like the old, kindly Martha, to and fro

To haste. Yet one could say, "In thine I prize

The strength of calm that held in Mary's eyes."

And when they came, thy gracious smile so wrought

They knew that they were given, not that they bought.

Thou didst not tempt to vauntings, and pretence

Was dumb before thy perfect woman's sense.

Blest who have seen, for they shall ever see

The radiance of thy benignity.

Alexander Robertson

Title
To an Old Lady Seen at a Guesthouse for Soldiers
Identifier
greatwar_clarke124
Item sets
A Treasury of War Poetry
Media
<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">To an Old Lady Seen at a Guesthouse for Soldiers</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Quiet</span> thou didst stand at thine appointed place,</p><p class="line">There was no press to purchase -- younger grace</p><p class="line">Attracts the youth of valour. Thou didst not know,</p><p class="line">Like the old, kindly Martha, to and fro</p><p class="line">To haste. Yet one could say, "In thine I prize</p><p class="line">The strength of calm that held in Mary's eyes."</p><p class="line">And when they came, thy gracious smile so wrought</p><p class="line">They knew that they were given, not that they bought.</p><p class="line">Thou didst not tempt to vauntings, and pretence</p><p class="line">Was dumb before thy perfect woman's sense.</p><p class="line">Blest who have seen, for they shall ever see</p><p class="line">The radiance of thy benignity.</p></div><p class="byline">Alexander Robertson</p></body></html>