And some were black as night,
And some were red as roses,
And some were grey as doves.
She was afraid.
She bent to ask her heart,
Wherein her secret nestled,
"Tell me their names, and thine."
And her secret answered, laughing,
"The names of some are Sorrows, the names of some are Sins,
And the colours tell thee whether they be Sorrows or be Sins."
And the woman questioned, trembling,
"What colour then art thou?"
And her secret answered, laughing,
"That thou shalt never know,
Though thy heart must house me warmly,
And thy breast must rock me softly,
All thy life."
She was afraid.
The rain has beaten the tall maize down;
Oh proud maize, with the golden crown,
Broken thou liest at my feet.
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