 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
MEN MUST WORK.
“Women must Weep?” . . . Pretty darlings,
When they never should have needs,
Free and happy as the starlings
Picking out your garden seeds;
Well, perhaps, they must; a Poet,
If he is a little blind
To their follies, ought to know it—
And if he's a little kind;
But though mistress is a dragon,
Though the master is a Turk,
Though no beer is in the flagon—
Men must work.
When they never should have needs,
Free and happy as the starlings
Picking out your garden seeds;
Well, perhaps, they must; a Poet,
If he is a little blind
To their follies, ought to know it—
And if he's a little kind;
But though mistress is a dragon,
Though the master is a Turk,
Though no beer is in the flagon—
Men must work.
568
“Women must weep?” . . .. Dainty creatures
They of raptures and romance,
Feel the beauty of their features
Tears do only more enhance;
Languid on the couch they mutter
Broken words of hopes and fears,
Nibbling thinnest bread and butter,
With no other gift than tears;
But though in the lamp the benzoline
is low, and Tom would shirk,
Jim is mad with influenza,—
Men must work.
They of raptures and romance,
Feel the beauty of their features
Tears do only more enhance;
Languid on the couch they mutter
Broken words of hopes and fears,
Nibbling thinnest bread and butter,
With no other gift than tears;
But though in the lamp the benzoline
is low, and Tom would shirk,
Jim is mad with influenza,—
Men must work.
“Women must weep?” . . . In the poses
Best becoming graceful forms,
Curtained off with wraps and roses
From the breath of vulgar storms?
With the finest cambric folded
Softly, as a lily lies,
To the face discreetly moulded,
Just to show the lovely eyes?
But, though tired in silk or satin,
They go driving to the kirk,
Where's the pew to take poor Pat in?—
Men must work.
Best becoming graceful forms,
Curtained off with wraps and roses
From the breath of vulgar storms?
With the finest cambric folded
Softly, as a lily lies,
To the face discreetly moulded,
Just to show the lovely eyes?
But, though tired in silk or satin,
They go driving to the kirk,
Where's the pew to take poor Pat in?—
Men must work.
“Women must weep?” . . . Ah, no pleasure
Is there like a genial cry,
Which so thoughtfully they treasure
Till the favoured man is by;
Their one logic without reason,
Their one weapon to the close,
Fashion never out of scason,
Which no male thing can oppose;
But though they may sigh of marriage
By the fireside, peck and perk,
Sip sweet tea, or loll in carriage,—
Men must work.
Is there like a genial cry,
Which so thoughtfully they treasure
Till the favoured man is by;
Their one logic without reason,
Their one weapon to the close,
Fashion never out of scason,
Which no male thing can oppose;
But though they may sigh of marriage
By the fireside, peck and perk,
Sip sweet tea, or loll in carriage,—
Men must work.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |