Stevie Smith (20 September 1902 – 7 March 1971 Died of a brain tumor A House of Mercy It was a house of female habitation, Two ladies fair inhabited the house, And they were brave. For although Fear knocked loud Upon the door, and said he must come in, They did not let him in. There were also two feeble babes, two girls, That Mrs. S. had by her husband had, He soon left them and went away to sea, Nor sent them money, nor came home again Except to borrow back Her Naval Officer's Wife's Allowance from Mrs. S. Who gave it him at once, she thought she should. There was also the ladies' aunt And babes' great aunt, a Mrs Martha Hearn Clode, And she was elderly. These ladies put their money all together And so we lived. I was the younger of the feeble babes And when I was a child my mother died And later Great Aunt Martha Hearn Clode died And later still my sister went away. Now I am old I tend my mother's sister The noble aunt who so l...