When She Must Go
When She must go, so much will go with her!
Stories of country summers, far and bright,
Wisdom of berries, flowers, and chestnut bur,
And songs to comfort the babies in the night;
Old legends and their meanings,
half-lost tunes,
Wise craftsmanship in all the
household ways,
And roses taught to flower in summer noons,
And children taught the shaping of
good days;
A heart still steadfast, stable, that can know
A son's first loss, a daughter's first heartbreak,
And say to them, "This, too, shall pass and go;
This is not all!" while anguished for their sake;
Courage to cling to when the day is lost,
Love to come back to when all love grows cold,
Quiet from tumult; hearth fire from the frost,
Oh, must she ever go, and we be old?
Margaret Widdemer
