Verses by Felicia Blake. (With Apologies to Kipling)
A fool there was, and she lowered her pride (Even as you and I)
To a bunch of conceit in a masculine hide ---
We saw the faults that could not be denied,
But the fool saw only his manly side (Even as you and I)
Oh the love she laid on her own heart's grave
With the care of her head and hand,
Belongs to the man who did not know
(And now she knows that he never could know)
And did not understand.
A fool there was and her best she gave (Even as you and I.)
Of noble thoughts, of gay and grave
(And all were accepted as due to the knave)
But the fool would never her folly save (Even as you and I.)
Oh the stabs she had, which the Lord forbid
Had ever been really planned.
She took from the man who didn't know why
(And now she knows he never knew why)
And did not understand.
The fool was loved while the game was new (Even as you and I.)
And when it was played, she took her cue
(Plodding along as most of us do)
Trying to keep his faults from view (Even as you and I.)
And it isn't the ache of the heart, or its break
That stings like a white-hot brand ---
It's the learning to know she raised a god
And bent her head to kiss the rod
For one who could not understand.I think this is my favourite, but there are a few others lurking around the internet including "THE VAMPIRE'S ANSWER" but Felicia Blake's A Woman's Answer has used Kipling's original form so nicely and irreverantly that it really is a treat :)
cheers,
A.J.
A.J. Ponder's books are available through Rona Gallery, Amazon, Paper Plus and good Wellington bookstores.
