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17
REFUGIUM
Only a girl just fouled with lust:
Whom God created as fair as day!
For man to follow, debauch, and thrust
Whom God created as fair as day!
For man to follow, debauch, and thrust
Away from them, finished their lust. And so
She's here by right of her sin to stay,
In the quiet away from the foul town's flow.
She's here by right of her sin to stay,
In the quiet away from the foul town's flow.
Poor child! so worthy of praise and love!
And I praise you, love you, for all the sin:
As a blood-stained, mud-stained, pitiful dove
And I praise you, love you, for all the sin:
As a blood-stained, mud-stained, pitiful dove
One praises, and pities, and takes to breast:
There are fairer feathers beneath, within,
There's a beating heart—and with God the rest!
There are fairer feathers beneath, within,
There's a beating heart—and with God the rest!
1888.
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