 | An idyl of work |  |
THE LOAF-GIVER.
“Is there a lady yet
Under the sun?”
Dames of Olympus
Called down, one by one.
Under the sun?”
Dames of Olympus
Called down, one by one.
“If a true lady
Be left, of earth's race,
Seats of the goddesses
Offer her place.”
Be left, of earth's race,
Seats of the goddesses
Offer her place.”
Answer came slowly
From hemispheres two:
Dead seemed the Old World,
And heedless the New.
From hemispheres two:
Dead seemed the Old World,
And heedless the New.
16
“I am a lady, then!
See! for I wear
Latest of bonnets,
Last twist of hair;
French gloves and laces,—
What more can I need?”
Laughed mighty Juno,
“A lady, indeed!”
See! for I wear
Latest of bonnets,
Last twist of hair;
French gloves and laces,—
What more can I need?”
Laughed mighty Juno,
“A lady, indeed!”
“I am a lady born!
I have a name!
An unbroken ancestry
Settles my claim.”
“Weak!” said Minerva;
“Irrelevant too!
Substitute ladyhood
Never will do.”
I have a name!
An unbroken ancestry
Settles my claim.”
“Weak!” said Minerva;
“Irrelevant too!
Substitute ladyhood
Never will do.”
“I am a lady!
No token of toil
Is on my fine fingers,—
Vulgarity's soil!
I mix with no workfolk!”
“Ah?” Venus exclaimed;
“I wedded a blacksmith,
And was not ashamed.
No token of toil
Is on my fine fingers,—
Vulgarity's soil!
I mix with no workfolk!”
“Ah?” Venus exclaimed;
“I wedded a blacksmith,
And was not ashamed.
17
“What face, bright as Hebe's,
Illumines yon street?
That beautiful maiden
Gives beggars their meat;
Her graceful hand leads them
To honor and peace.
My sigh for lost ladies,”
Said Venus, “I cease.”
Illumines yon street?
That beautiful maiden
Gives beggars their meat;
Her graceful hand leads them
To honor and peace.
My sigh for lost ladies,”
Said Venus, “I cease.”
“I too!” called Minerva;
And pointed to where
In a dreary log school-house,
A girl, young and fair,
Spent life, strength, and beauty.—
“She scatters live seed!
She works in wild thought-fields,
The starved soul to feed.”
And pointed to where
In a dreary log school-house,
A girl, young and fair,
Spent life, strength, and beauty.—
“She scatters live seed!
She works in wild thought-fields,
The starved soul to feed.”
Cried Juno, “Yon farm-wife,
With white arms like mine,
Round, snowy loaves shaping,
To me seems divine.
She, moulded a goddess,
Who yet can prefer
To be useful and helpful,—
What lady like her?”
With white arms like mine,
Round, snowy loaves shaping,
To me seems divine.
She, moulded a goddess,
Who yet can prefer
To be useful and helpful,—
What lady like her?”
18
Nodded the sky-women,
Glad, one by one.
“Still there are ladies left
Under the sun.
Glad, one by one.
“Still there are ladies left
Under the sun.
“Counterfeit creatures
May borrow the name;
But the deep-seeing heavens
Accept not their claim.”
May borrow the name;
But the deep-seeing heavens
Accept not their claim.”
“Lady is loaf-giver!”
Echoed the three.
“Who stays the world's hunger,
True lady is she!”
Echoed the three.
“Who stays the world's hunger,
True lady is she!”
| An idyl of work | |