I RISE in the dawn, and I kneel and blow br Till the seed of the fire flicker and glow; br And then I must scrub and bake and sweep br Till stars are beginning to blink and peep; br And the young lie long and dream in their bed br Of the matching of ribbons for bosom and head, br And their ~y goes over in idleness, br And they sigh if the wind but lift a tress: br While I must work because I am old, br And the seed of the fire gets feeble and cold.