A Fickle Woman
by Eugene Field — a poem card from Justes Mots
A brief metaphorical poem comparing a fickle woman to the sea—beautiful and deceptive, capable of sudden violent transformation that destroys the unwary. Field uses the classical conceit of feminine nature as a dangerous natural force, reflecting 19th-century literary tropes about women's inscrutability. Best suited for personal reflection on themes of betrayal or capriciousness in relationships.
Her nature is the sea's, that smiles to-night
A radiant maiden in the moon's soft light;
The unsuspecting seaman sets his sails,
Forgetful of the fury of her gales;
To-morrow, mad with storms, the ocean roars,
And o'er his hapless wreck the flood she pours!…
Themes: love · new-baby · wedding · friendship