I would have been as great as George Eliot
But for an untoward fate.
For look at the photograph of me made by Penniwit,
Chin resting on hand, and deep-set eyes —
Gray, too, and far-searching.
But there was the old, old problem:
Should it be celibacy, matrimony or unchastity?
Then John Slack, the rich druggist, wooed me,
Luring me with the promise of leisure for my novel,
And I married him, giving birth to eight children,
And had no time to write.
It was all over with me, anyway,
When I ran the needle in my hand
While washing the baby’s things,
And died from lock-jaw, an ironical death.
Hear me, ambitious souls,
Sex is the curse of life.
(Edgar Lee Masters)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, Death & Dying Poems, Soul Poems, Money & Wealth Poems, Fate & Destiny Poems, Charity Poems, Children Poems, Promise Poems, Babies Poems, Sex Poems, Leisure PoemsBased on Keywords: matrimony, untoward, eliot, luring, ironical, druggist, deep-set, penniwit, far-searching, celibacy, unchastity