THERE was a woman tore off a red velvet gown
And slashed the white skin of her right shoulder
And a crimson zigzag wrote a finger nail hurry.
There was a woman spoke six short words
And quit a life that was old to her
For a life that was new.
There was a woman swore an oath
And gave hoarse whisper to a prayer
And it was all over.
She was a thief and a whore and a kept woman,
She was a thing to be used and played with.
She wore an ancient scarlet sash.
The story is thin and wavering,
White as a face in the first apple blossoms,
White as a birch in the snow of a winter moon.
The story is never told.
There are white lips whisper alone.
There are red lips whisper alone.
In the cool of the old walls,
In the white of the old walls,
The red song is over.
(Carl Sandburg)
More Poetry from Carl Sandburg:
Carl Sandburg Poems based on Topics: Woman, Faces, Life, Winter, Snow, Prayers- And This Will Be All.... (Carl Sandburg Poems)
- And So To-Day (Carl Sandburg Poems)
- To A Contemporary (Carl Sandburg Poems)
- A Father To His Son (Carl Sandburg Poems)
- Arithmetic (Carl Sandburg Poems)
- California City Landscape (Carl Sandburg Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Life Poems, Faces Poems, Woman Poems, Prayers Poems, Snow Poems, Winter PoemsBased on Keywords: slashed, zigzag