Dreamers and Other Poems

<p><SPAN name="SHEILA" id="SHEILA"></SPAN>SHEILA</p> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Katie had the grand eyes and Delia had a way with her,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">And Mary had the Saints' face and Maggie's waist was neat,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">But Sheila had the merry heart that travelled all the day with her,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">That put the laughing on her lips and dancing in her feet.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">I've met with martyrs in my time, and Faith! they make the best of it,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">But 'tis the uncomplaining ones that wear a sorrow long,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">'Twas Sheila had the better way and that's to make a jest of it,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">To call her trouble out to dance and step it with a song.</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">Eh, but Sheila had the laugh the like of drink to weary ones,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">(I've never heard the beat of it for all I've wandered wide.)</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;"><i>And out of all the girls I knew the tender ones&mdash;the dreary ones,&mdash;</i></span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2em;"><i>'Twas only Sheila of the laugh that broke her heart and died.</i></span><br/> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />