19th Century Women's Poetry

Virginia Woodward Cloud (1861-1938)

Born in Baltimore, MD, Woodward Cloud contributed to numerous literary periodicals. Down Durley Lane, and Other Ballads was published in 1898.


Care
All in the leafy darkness, when sleep had passed me by,
I knew the surging of the sea--
Though never wave were nigh,
All in the leafy darkness, unbroken by a star,
There came the clamorous call of day,
While yet the day was far.

All in the leafy darkness, woven with hushes deep,
I heard the vulture wings of Fear
Above me tireless sweep;

The sea of Doubt, the dread of day, upon me surged and swept
All in the leafy darkness,
And while the whole world slept.

[LB]