“Care” | Ella Higginson

You may build you an elegant mansion,

And fence it around with gold,

Set it all with diamonds and rubies,

You may keep out the wind and cold;

You may banish from it all intruders,

Have music and levity there,

You may shut out discord and envy—

But you cannot shut out Care.

You may build you a lowly cottage,

And paint it all in white,

Grow vines and shade-trees about it,

Let in only sunshine and light;

You may keep out the envy and malice

That wrinkle the faces we wear,

You may keep love inside, and contentment—

But you cannot keep out Care.

You may sing with the voice of an angel,

You may dance with a fairy’s feet,

You may laugh till your laughter makes music

For every one that you meet;

You may dance till your feet seem twinkling,

Till the flowers fade in your hair,

You may dance till the world dies of envy—

But you cannot dance away Care.

You may ride in the early morning,

You may ride in the dewy night,

You may ride till your eyes out-rival

All the glittering star-eyes’ light;

You may ride till your cheeks are like roses,

With the red, rich wine of air,

Aye, until your road swims beneath you—

But you cannot ride away Care.

You may smile in the faces of women,

Who envy your very life,

As you hide from their eyes all the burdens,

The weariness, heart-aches and strife;

You may live so the poor will adore you,

Live a life that the world calls fair,

You may let love be conquered by duty—

But you cannot live without Care.

“Care” printed in West Shore magazine, clipping courtesy of the Ella Higginson Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Heritage Resources, Western Washington University, Bellingham Washington.