Classic Poem

Think what a price to pay,
Faces so bright and gay,
Just for a hat!
Flowers unvisited, mornings unsung,
Sea-ranges bare of the wings that o'er swung, —
Bared just for that!

Think of the others, too,
Others and mothers , too,
Bright-Eyes in hat!
Hear you no mother-groan floating in air,
Hear you no little moan, — birdlings' despair, —
Somewhere, for that?

Caught 'mid some mother-work,
Torn by a hunter Turk,
Just for your hat!
Plenty of mother-heart yet in the world:
All the more wings to tear, carefully twirled!
Women want that?

Oh, but the shame of it,
Oh, but the blame of it, —
Price of a hat!
Just for a jauntiness brightening the street!
This is your halo, O faces so sweet, —
Death : and for that!