Spoon River Anthology
Edgar Lee Masters
Amanda Barker << --- >> Chase Henry
Constance Hately
YOU praise my self-sacrifice, Spoon River,
In rearing Irene and Mary,
Orphans of my older sister!
And you censure Irene and Mary
For their contempt for me!
But praise not my self-sacrifice,
And censure not their contempt;
I reared them, I cared for them, true enough! --
But I poisoned my benefactions
With constant reminders of their dependence.
Source: Project Gutenberg