“the Cambridge ladies who live in furnished souls”

the Cambridge ladies who live in furnished souls
are unbeautiful and have comfortable minds
(also,with the church’s protestant blessings
daughters,unscented shapeless spirited)
they believe in Christ and Longfellow,both dead,
are invariably interested in so many things—
at the present writing one still finds
delighted fingers knitting for the is it Poles?
perhaps. While permanent faces coyly bandy
scandal of Mrs. N and Professor D
. . . . the Cambridge ladies do not care,above
Cambridge if sometimes in its box of
sky lavender and cornerless,the
moon rattles like a fragment of angry candy

- e.e. cummings

the Pilgrim women who live in furnished souls
kneel in azure crystal and have starry crowns...
(also, with their Lord's finishing wrappings
daughters, fragrant redeemed spirited)
they believe in Christ and Lewis, both resurrected,
are invariably interested in only one thing -
at the present writing one still finds
joyous tongues singing for is it the Lamb?
of course. While permanent raptures gravely battle
scandal of Old Man and New Creation
....the Pilgrim women do not break, beneath
Pilgrimage if sometimes on the path of
thorns hideous and borderless, that
fallen star murmurs its hangman's requiem

- j. c. smith