/// Young Miss Hester reluctantly brought her
“sibling” Rhoda to row on the water.
Though she longs to resist her
sinister so-called sister,
the child blackmails: “I’ll tell I’m your daughter!”
/// At fourteen, Hester, hiding her girth,
with her Ma’s help, in secret gave birth.
To the world Ma avers
the new baby was hers.
Family honor’s a thing of great worth.
/// Young Miss Hester reluctantly brought her
“sibling” Rhoda to row on the water.
Though she longs to resist her
sinister so-called sister,
the child blackmails: “I’ll tell I’m your daughter!”
/// At fourteen, Hester, hiding her girth,
with her Ma’s help, in secret gave birth.
To the world Ma avers
the new baby was hers.
Family honor’s a thing of great worth.