The Witch by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge

The Witch

by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge

(1861-1907)

I have walked a great while over the snow,
And I am not tall nor strong.
My clothes are wet, and my teeth are set,
And the way was hard and long.
I have wandered over the fruitful earth,
But I never came here before.
Oh, lift me over the threshold, and let me in
at the door!

The cutting wind is a cruel foe;
I dare not stand in the blast.
My hands are stone, and my voice a groan, And the worst of death is past.
I am but a little maiden still;
My little white feet are sore.
Oh, lift me over the threshold, and let me in
at the door!

Her voice was the voice that women have,
Who plead for their heart’s desire.
She came-she came-and the quivering flame
Sank and died in the fire.
It never was lit again on my hearth
Since I hurried across the floor,
To lift her over the threshold, and let her in
at the door!

Mary Elizabeth Coleridge (1861-1907) was an English novelist and poet born into a prominent literary family in London. As the great-grandniece of the famous Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, she carried on her family’s literary legacy. Educated at home, Coleridge became proficient in several languages and began writing poetry in her twenties. To avoid comparison with her famous ancestor, she published her works under the pseudonym “Anodos.” Her literary career included both novels and poetry, with her first novel, “The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus,” published in 1893, and her most famous work, “The King with Two Faces,” following in 1897. While known primarily for her novels during her lifetime, she’s now better remembered for her poetry, which is noted for its mystical qualities, vivid imagery, and exploration of inner emotional states. Coleridge also worked as a teacher at the Working Women’s College in London, teaching literature and grammar. She never married and lived with her family throughout her life. Despite her relatively limited recognition during her lifetime, Coleridge’s work, especially her poetry, has gained more appreciation in recent years for its unique voice and imagery. Her life was cut short unexpectedly in 1907 at the age of 45, leaving behind a legacy that bridges the gap between Romanticism and the emerging Modernist movement.