Part 2
Ignorant women--college bred sometimes, But ignorant of life’s realities And principles of righteous government, And how the privileges they enjoy Were won with blood and tears by those before-- Those they condemn, whose ways they now oppose; Saying, “Why not let well enough alone? Our world is very pleasant as it is”-- These tell us they have all the rights they want.
And selfish women--pigs in petticoats-- Rich, poor, wise, unwise, top or bottom round, But all sublimely innocent of thought, And guiltless of ambition, save the one Deep, voiceless aspiration--to be fed! These have no use for rights or duties more. Duties today are more than they can meet, And law insures their right to clothes and food-- These tell us they have all the rights they want.
And, more’s the pity, some good women, too; Good, conscientious women with ideas; Who think--or think they think--that woman’s cause Is best advanced by letting it alone; That she somehow is not a human thing, And not to be helped on by human means, Just added to humanity--an “L”-- A wing, a branch, an extra, not mankind-- These tell us they have all the rights they want.
And out of these has come a monstrous thing, A strange, down-sucking whirlpool of disgrace, Women uniting against womanhood, And using that great name to hide their sin! Vain are their words as that old king’s command Who set his will against the rising tide. But who shall measure the historic shame Of these poor traitors--traitors are they all-- To great Democracy and Womanhood!
THE “ANTI” AND THE FLY f
The fly upon the Cartwheel Thought he made all the Sound; He thought he made the Cart go on-- And made the wheels go round.
The Fly upon the Cartwheel Has won undying fame For Conceit that was colossal, And Ignorance the same.
But today he has a Rival As we roll down History’s Track-- For the “Anti” on the Cartwheel Thinks she makes the Wheels go back!
TO THE INDIFFERENT WOMEN *
A SESTINA
You who are happy in a thousand homes, Or overworked therein, to a dumb peace; Whose souls are wholly centered in the life Of that small group you personally love-- Who told you that you need not know or care About the sin and sorrow of the world?
Do you believe the sorrow of the world Does not concern you in your little homes? That you are licensed to avoid the care And toil for human progress, human peace, And the enlargement of our power of love Until it covers every field of life?
The one first duty of all human life Is to promote the progress of the world In righteousness, in wisdom, truth and love; And you ignore it, hidden in your homes, Content to keep them in uncertain peace, Content to leave all else without your care.
Yet you are mothers! And a mother’s care Is the first step towards friendly human life, Life where all nations in untroubled peace Unite to raise the standard of the world And make the happiness we seek in homes Spread everywhere in strong and fruitful love.
You are content to keep that mighty love In its first steps forever; the crude care Of animals for mate and young and homes, Instead of pouring it abroad in life, Its mighty current feeding all the world Till every human child shall grow in peace.
You cannot keep your small domestic peace, Your little pool of undeveloped love, While the neglected, starved, unmothered world Struggles and fights for lack of mother’s care, And its tempestuous, bitter, broken life Beats in upon you in your selfish homes.
We all may have our homes in joy and peace When woman’s life, in its rich power of love Is joined with man’s to care for all the world.
WOMEN DO NOT WANT IT *
When the woman suffrage argument first stood upon its legs, They answered it with cabbages, they answered it with eggs, They answered it with ridicule, they answered it with scorn, They thought it a monstrosity that should not have been born.
When the woman suffrage argument grew vigorous and wise, And was not to be answered by these opposite replies, They turned their opposition into reasoning severe Upon the limitations of our God-appointed sphere.
We were told of disabilities--a long array of these, Till one could think that womanhood was merely a disease; And “the maternal sacrifice” was added to the plan Of the various sacrifices we have always made--to man.
Religionists and scientists, in amity and bliss, However else they disagreed, could all agree on this, And the gist of all their discourse, when you got down in it, Was--we could not have the ballot because we were not fit!
They would not hear the reason, they would not fairly yield, They would not own their arguments were beaten in the field; But time passed on, and someway, we need not ask them how, Whatever ails those arguments--we do not hear them now!
You may talk of suffrage now with an educated man, And he agrees with all you say, as sweetly as he can: ’T would be better for us all, of course, if womanhood was free; But “the women do not want it”--and so it must not be!
’T is such a tender thoughtfulness! So exquisite a care! Not to pile on our frail shoulders what we do not wish to bear! But, oh, most generous brother! Let us look a little more-- Have we women always wanted what you gave to us before?
Did we ask for veils and harems in the Oriental races? Did we beseech to be “unclean,” shut out of sacred places? Did we beg for scolding bridles and ducking stools to come? And clamor for the beating stick no thicker than your thumb?
Did we ask to be forbidden from all the trades that pay? Did we claim the lower wages for a man’s full work today? Have we petitioned for the laws wherein our shame is shown: That not a woman’s child--nor her own body--is her own?
What women want has never been a strongly acting cause, When woman has been wronged by man in churches, customs, laws; Why should he find this preference so largely in his way, When he himself admits the right of what we ask today?
SONG FOR EQUAL SUFFRAGE †
Day of hope and day of glory! After slavery and woe, Comes the dawn of woman’s freedom, and the light shall grow and grow Until every man and woman equal liberty shall know, In Freedom marching on!
Woman’s right is woman’s duty! For our share in life we call! Our will it is not weakened and our power it is not small. We are half of every nation! We are mothers of them all! In Wisdom marching on!
Not for self but larger service has our cry for freedom grown, There is crime, disease and warfare in a world of men alone, In the name of love we’re rising now to serve and save our own, As Peace comes marching on!
By every sweet and tender tie around our heartstrings curled, In the cause of nobler motherhood is woman’s flag unfurled, Till every child shall know the joy and peace of mother’s world-- As Love comes marching on!
We will help to make a pruning hook of every outgrown sword, We will help to knit the nations in continuing accord, In humanity made perfect is the glory of the Lord, As His world goes marching on!
ANOTHER STAR f
(Suffrage Campaign Song for California)
TUNE: “Buy a Broom.”
There are five a-light before us, In the flag flying o’er us, There’ll be six on next election-- We bring a new star! We are coming like the others, Free Sisters, Free Brothers, In the pride of our affection For California. CHORUS: A ballot for the Lady! For the Home and for the Baby! Come, vote ye for the Lady, The Baby, the Home!
Star of Hope and Star of Beauty! Of Freedom! Of Duty! Star of childhood’s new protection, That rises so high! We will work for it together In the golden, gay weather, And we’ll have it next election, Or we will know why. CHORUS: A ballot for the Lady! For the Home and for the Baby! Come, vote ye for the Lady, The Baby, the Home!
SHE WHO IS TO COME *
A woman--in so far as she beholdeth Her one Beloved’s face; A mother--with a great heart that enfoldeth The children of the Race; A body, free and strong, with that high beauty That comes of perfect use, is built thereof; A mind where Reason ruleth over Duty, And Justice reigns with Love; A self-poised, royal soul, brave, wise and tender, No longer blind and dumb; A Human Being, of an unknown splendor, Is she who is to come!
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