Sadie bore two babies
Under her maiden name.
Maud and Ma and Papa
Nearly died of shame.
Everyone but Sadie
Nearly died of shame.
When Sadie said her last so-long
Her girls struck out from home.
(Sadie had left as heritage
Her fine-tooth comb.)
Maud, who went to college,
Is a thin brown mouse.
She is living all alone
In this old house.
The final line causes us to question whether or not Maud did the right thing by going to college, and what brings about happiness. It also implies that perhaps Sadie’s children won’t have to sacrifice happiness for education.
Sadie and Maud