Behold, the grave of a wicked man by Stephen Crane

Behold, the grave of a wicked man

Behold, the grave of a wicked man,
And near it, a stern spirit.
There came a drooping maid with violets,
But the spirit grasped her arm.
“No flowers for him,” he said.
The maid wept:
“Ah, I loved him.”
But the spirit, grim and frowning:
“No flowers for him.”

Now, this is it —
If the spirit was just,
Why did the maid weep?

Stephen Crane
(1871 – 1900)
Behold, the grave of a wicked man

• fleursdumal.nl magazine

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