Poem #11

The Broken Promise (11)

Oh Fair Maiden, why do you weep?
Why do you shed tears of pain?
Oh why at night can you not sleep?
She said in eager sweet reply,
"My dear sir, I am afraid,
I had a lover this past fall,
And he did promise to come to me by spring,
And I weep for fear he died."
And so I heard her tale,
And I tell it to you,
And I wonder each passing day,
If her lover will return,
For years have passed since,
And if the man is not dead,
Then he has lied to his lover,
And that is worse than death.