The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
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| IX. |
 | X. |
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THE INDELIBLE STAIN
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| XI. |
 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
221
THE INDELIBLE STAIN
While London streets contain the crowd
Of faces marred and sad
That once were pure, and once were proud,
And once were fair and glad;
Of faces marred and sad
That once were pure, and once were proud,
And once were fair and glad;
While through the gaslit London night
These lost girl-thousands stroll,
Our Empire has not won the might
Its own fate to control.
These lost girl-thousands stroll,
Our Empire has not won the might
Its own fate to control.
Lost souls, lost hearts, lost faces,—what
That City's doom must be
Which sees its own frail children's lot
Yet will not, cannot see!
That City's doom must be
Which sees its own frail children's lot
Yet will not, cannot see!
Each pale recruit hell's armies gain,
Woman's the blame, or men's,
Stamps deep on England's robes a stain,
A spot no time can cleanse.
Woman's the blame, or men's,
Stamps deep on England's robes a stain,
A spot no time can cleanse.
Feb. 14, 1902.
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |