Well, here's a pretty soul To sit in the confessional! So I say, Why do you come to me? Loving your sin, Confessing it, denying it in one breath, Leaves you in sin without forgiveness. Well, then she tacks about and says "I sinned, And I am sorry. Wait a minute, father, And see the flesh and spirit mixed again." She wants to tell me all, I let her go. And so she says: "His wife's an invalid, Has been no wife to him. Besides," she says-- Now watch this thrust to pierce my holy shield-- "She is not in the church's eye his wife, She never was baptized"--I almost laughed, But answered her, You think adultery Is less adultery in a case like this? "Well, no," she says, "but could he be divorced The church would marry us." Go on, I said, And then she paused a little and went on: "I said I loved this man, and it is true, And years ago I gave myself to him, And then his wife found out there was a woman-- But not that I was the woman--years ago At confirmation I confessed it all, Need only say this time I gave him up, And crushed him out with work--was chaste for years. And then I met a man, a different man Who stirred me otherwise, kept after me. At last I weakened, sinned three months ago, And suffered for it. For he took me, left me. As if he wanted body of me alone, And was not pleased with that. And after that, I think that I was mad, a furious passion Was kindled by this second man, and left With nothing to employ its flame. Two weeks Went by, he did not seek me out, none knew The hour of our departure. Then I thought How little I had been to this first lover, And of the years when I denied him--so To recompense his love, to serve him, father, Yes, to allay this passion newly raised By this new lover, whom I thought I loved, I went to my old lover, free of will, And took his lips and said to him, O take me, I am yours to do with as you choose to-night. He turned as pale as snow and shook with fear, His heart beat in his throat. I terrified him With this great will of mine in this small body. I went on while he stood there by the window, His back toward me. Make me wholly yours, Take no precaution, prudence throw away As mean, unworthy. Let your life precede, Forestall the intruder's, if one be. And if A child must be, yours shall it be." "He turned, And took me in his arms...."