I
For long the cruel wish I knew
That your free heart should ache for me
While mine should bear no ache for you;
For, long–the cruel wish!–I knew
How men can feel, and craved to view
My triumph–fated not to be
For long! . . . The cruel wish I knew
That your free heart should ache for me!
II
At last one pays the penalty –
The woman–women always do.
My farce, I found, was tragedy
At last!–One pays the penalty
With interest when one, fancy-free,
Learns love, learns shame . . . Of sinners two
At last ONE pays the penalty –
The woman–women always do!
(Thomas Hardy)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, Man Poems, Hope Poems, Education Poems, Learning PoemsBased on Keywords: pays, tragedy, craved, farce, penalty, fancy-free, long-the