You praise my self-sacrifice, Spoon River, <br />In rearing Irene and Mary, <br />Orphans of my older sister! <br />And you censure Irene and Mary <br />For their contempt of me! <br />But praise not my self-sacrifice, <br />And censure not their contempt; <br />I reared them, I cared for them, true enough!-- <br />But I poisoned my benefactions <br />With constant reminders of their dependence.<br /><br />Edgar Lee Masters<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/constance-hately/
