<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Stay-at-Home</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">AS a woman that is with child, my soul already fosters</p><p class="line">A life conceived within me, secret as yet and sacred,</p><p class="line">As though the herald, Gabriel, in a sudden-shining shaft</p><p class="line">Had bidden me glory in this I nourish for men's joy.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">At the clamour of drums without or bidding of voices within</p><p class="line">Can I abandon This? Can I resume my soul?</p><p class="line">Am I also free to go, one with the millions</p><p class="line">Descending at Freedom's call to the camp and the yonder field,</p><p class="line">Spending themselves for Her, as I fain myself would spend?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">He is not free to go who hath already gone:</p><p class="line">To give himself afresh who hath already given.</p><p class="line">Assigned already my place, I cannot leave it and go:</p><p class="line">Mine to stay, to abide, as a woman that is with child.--</p><p class="line">And I continue at home, contented, as one without</p><p class="line">Trammel, if he should run in the race, runs not but remains.</p><p class="line">I see them go: my heart, going not, is one with their heart,</p><p class="line">Shares in their gladness going, that now to the uttermost</p><p class="line">Farthing they have responded with all that is theirs, as I</p><p class="line">Also wholly respond, with all that I am endowing</p><p class="line">The intangible hope within me, that is not other than theirs,</p><p class="line">The unborn joy I was bidden foster and bring to a birth.</p></div></body></html> · Great War