Lines [poem by Louisa Lawson]

[Editor: This poem by Louisa Lawson was published in “The Lonely Crossing” and Other Poems (1905).]

Lines.

A boy in pain, a mother sigh —
A strong man weep, a fair girl die.
These things do wring my heart well-nigh,
I know not why, I know not why.

Source:
Louisa Lawson, “The Lonely Crossing” and Other Poems, Sydney: Dawn Office, [1905], p. 49

Editor’s notes:
There are some minor differences between this version of the poem and the version published in The Dawn (Sydney, NSW) on 1 April 1904. There were a couple of differences in the punctuation used; however, the most significant difference was that the first two lines were swapped:

1904:
A strong man weep, a fair girl die,
A boy in pain, a mother sigh.

1905:
A boy in pain, a mother sigh —
A strong man weep, a fair girl die.