Polly wakes
to a new day
in the bed in the attic
she shares with Susie
the other maid
it is still dark
but birds are singing
and traffic is heard
in the distance
breaking the night's
stillness and quiet
she rises from bed
and sits on the edge
and looks back at Susie
and sighs
the maid looks sad
in her sleep
mouth half open
eyes sealed shut
head to one side
one hand on top
the other tucked away
out of sight
poor ******
Polly mutters
and gets off the bed
and goes
to the enamel bowl
and fills it
from the jug
with cold water
and takes off her nightdress
and begins to wash
in the cold water
and a piece of red soap
and washes her face
and neck and arms
and splashes water
under her arms
and taps at her *******
then taking an old towel
from the side
she dries herself
as quick as she can
before the cold morning air
freezes her stiff
then looking at Susie
she pulls out
the chamber ***
and sits and unloads
and sighs and closes her eyes
and wishes Master George
had not gone away
but was there
in his room
so that she could have
slept there and not
sitting here in her room
feeling the encroaching
day's gloom.
Mar 24, 2016
Mar 24, 2016 at 4:05 AM UTC
Polly wakes
to a new day
in the bed in the attic
she shares with Susie
the other maid
it is still dark
but birds are singing
and traffic is heard
in the distance
breaking the night's
stillness and quiet
she rises from bed
and sits on the edge
and looks back at Susie
and sighs
the maid looks sad
in her sleep
mouth half open
eyes sealed shut
head to one side
one hand on top
the other tucked away
out of sight
poor ******
Polly mutters
and gets off the bed
and goes
to the enamel bowl
and fills it
from the jug
with cold water
and takes off her nightdress
and begins to wash
in the cold water
and a piece of red soap
and washes her face
and neck and arms
and splashes water
under her arms
and taps at her *******
then taking an old towel
from the side
she dries herself
as quick as she can
before the cold morning air
freezes her stiff
then looking at Susie
she pulls out
the chamber ***
and sits and unloads
and sighs and closes her eyes
and wishes Master George
had not gone away
but was there
in his room
so that she could have
slept there and not
sitting here in her room
feeling the encroaching
day's gloom.
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