 | Verse in bloom |  |
32
THE GAME
Though Lizzie clearly heard
His step, she did not speak,
But waited for his lips
Upon her cheek.
His step, she did not speak,
But waited for his lips
Upon her cheek.
The Father in the gloom
Went softly to the bed,
And laid his own beside
His daughter's head.
Went softly to the bed,
And laid his own beside
His daughter's head.
Yet not a single word
Was spoken by the pair
Of lovers with a love
They lived to share;
Was spoken by the pair
Of lovers with a love
They lived to share;
For Lizzie had to wait,
And Father had to choose
The moment for his voice
To murmur, “Whose?”
And Father had to choose
The moment for his voice
To murmur, “Whose?”
This spoken, with the heart's
Amazing tenderness,
He heard the little child's
Low whisper, “Guess!”
Amazing tenderness,
33
Low whisper, “Guess!”
There, in the peaceful dark,
The game was now half played
Between the wifeless man
And raptured maid.
The game was now half played
Between the wifeless man
And raptured maid.
The Father whispered then,
As part of the design,
The beauty and the love
Contained in “Mine.”
As part of the design,
The beauty and the love
Contained in “Mine.”
To Lizzie fell the bliss
At last of making known
The truth by calling out,
“Your—very—own!”
At last of making known
The truth by calling out,
“Your—very—own!”
Thus, in the peaceful dark,
The game was once more played
Between the stricken man
And blissful maid.
The game was once more played
Between the stricken man
And blissful maid.
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