 | Poems of home and country |  |
348
WOMAN, A “SIDE-ISSUE.”
[_]
Read at the Social Union, Boston, October 26, 1868.
It has been said, “Whatever be the beauty and charms of woman, let her not value herself too highly. For it is undeniable that, in the work of creation, man was the principal, and woman only a ‘side-issue.’”
Yes, a “side-issue,” so you say,
Like a self-vaunting Turk:
Woman was but an after-thought;
But man, God's noblest work.
Like a self-vaunting Turk:
Woman was but an after-thought;
But man, God's noblest work.
But no side-issue here to-night,
As once in Eden's bowers;
For woman holds the highest place
In this fair feast of ours.
As once in Eden's bowers;
For woman holds the highest place
In this fair feast of ours.
Creation's lords with lofty air
Their higher work fulfil;
But woman, in a gentler sphere,
Labors with loving will.
Their higher work fulfil;
But woman, in a gentler sphere,
Labors with loving will.
We boast our greatness, wisdom, wealth,
Proud of our rank as men;
But for our mothers, where had we,
Creation's lordlings, been?
Proud of our rank as men;
But for our mothers, where had we,
Creation's lordlings, been?
When God resolved His chosen race
To pluck from Pharaoh's hand,
The ark that saved the infant chief
Was by a woman planned.
To pluck from Pharaoh's hand,
The ark that saved the infant chief
Was by a woman planned.
349
When Sisera's champions led the fight,
Armed with the warrior's mail,
He failed; and through his heathen head,
A woman drove the nail.
Armed with the warrior's mail,
He failed; and through his heathen head,
A woman drove the nail.
When Joshua sent to search the land
Where heathen banners waved,
No hostile hand could reach the spies
A woman's wit had saved.
Where heathen banners waved,
No hostile hand could reach the spies
A woman's wit had saved.
The prophet near the brook lay hid,
By hungry ravens fed;
Till woman built his little room,
And feasted him with bread.
By hungry ravens fed;
Till woman built his little room,
And feasted him with bread.
Weary and hungry, Jesus sat
At noon beside the well;
And listening ears absorbed each word
Of love that from Him fell.
At noon beside the well;
And listening ears absorbed each word
Of love that from Him fell.
Samaria's nobles, boastful, dreamed
Of worldly wit and lore;
A woman blessed His words that day;
A woman owned His power.
Of worldly wit and lore;
A woman blessed His words that day;
A woman owned His power.
One meekly sat at Jesus' feet,
His gracious words to hear;
And one received Him, tired and faint,
With love and festal cheer,—
His gracious words to hear;
And one received Him, tired and faint,
With love and festal cheer,—
O blessed women, never shall
Their deeds forgotten be!
E'en the ascending Conqueror fixed
His gaze on Bethany.
Their deeds forgotten be!
E'en the ascending Conqueror fixed
His gaze on Bethany.
350
With tearful eyes and loving heart,
Furnished with ointment sweet,
A woman bathed, perfumed, and kissed
The Saviour's sacred feet.
Furnished with ointment sweet,
A woman bathed, perfumed, and kissed
The Saviour's sacred feet.
Who but a woman on His head
The precious fragrance strewed?
“Trouble her not,” the Master said,
“She hath done what she could.”
The precious fragrance strewed?
“Trouble her not,” the Master said,
“She hath done what she could.”
And, meanly, one his Lord betrayed
With cruelty inhuman;
And one denied His blessed name,—
Both men, but never woman.
With cruelty inhuman;
And one denied His blessed name,—
Both men, but never woman.
Rudely the rough procession trod,
With smirk and shout and yell,
The pathway where the Son of God
Beneath His burden fell.
With smirk and shout and yell,
The pathway where the Son of God
Beneath His burden fell.
Where were the men? They in that hour
Hid, trembling and afraid;
Only the women near their Lord
Lingered and wept and prayed.
Hid, trembling and afraid;
Only the women near their Lord
Lingered and wept and prayed.
When, dying on the shameful cross,
In agony He hung,
The precious word “mother” was heard
Last lingering on His tongue.
In agony He hung,
The precious word “mother” was heard
Last lingering on His tongue.
Up, curious Peter! seek the place
Of the Great Captive's tomb;
Run, loving John, before the rays
Of morn the skies illume!
Of the Great Captive's tomb;
Run, loving John, before the rays
Of morn the skies illume!
351
They rose, they ran; with joy they saw
The garb the Saviour wore,—
But women at the sacred spot
Had worshipped long before.
The garb the Saviour wore,—
But women at the sacred spot
Had worshipped long before.
When first a church on Europe's soil
Like a new sunlight burst,
And grew apace, on its fair roll
A woman's name stood first.
Like a new sunlight burst,
And grew apace, on its fair roll
A woman's name stood first.
When science would new worlds evoke,
Beyond the mighty sea,
Spain's nobles doubted if at all
Such wondrous things could be.
Beyond the mighty sea,
Spain's nobles doubted if at all
Such wondrous things could be.
Men locked the treasury of state,
“No funds to spare to-day!”
She sold her jewelled rings to send
Columbus on his way.
“No funds to spare to-day!”
She sold her jewelled rings to send
Columbus on his way.
Brave Isabella! she alone
Saw glimmerings in the skies;
America was sought and found,—
A woman's enterprise!
Saw glimmerings in the skies;
America was sought and found,—
A woman's enterprise!
There sleeps upon a lonely isle,
Far o'er the southern wave,
The proto-martyr of our work,
The heathen world to save.
Far o'er the southern wave,
The proto-martyr of our work,
The heathen world to save.
That silent sleeper's gentle name
Still breathes like sweet perfume;
The sacred dust of woman fills
That lonely, glorious tomb.
Still breathes like sweet perfume;
The sacred dust of woman fills
That lonely, glorious tomb.
352
Where were our honored, martyred chief,
Who, through the stormy wave,
Safely conveyed the ship of state,
Patient and wise and brave;
Who, through the stormy wave,
Safely conveyed the ship of state,
Patient and wise and brave;
Whose sun has set, whose star gone down,—
When shall we see such other?
But what had honored Lincoln been
But for his Christian mother?
When shall we see such other?
But what had honored Lincoln been
But for his Christian mother?
And what were he whose deeds of might
On every banner flaunt,
But for the pious woman's name
Who made him U. S. Grant.
On every banner flaunt,
But for the pious woman's name
Who made him U. S. Grant.
Talk of “side-issues,” if you please;
Cry “woman”—“Need n't heed her!”
But history and love reply,
“Oh, no, she is the leader.”
Cry “woman”—“Need n't heed her!”
But history and love reply,
“Oh, no, she is the leader.”
Not a “side-issue” here to-night,
As once in Eden's bowers;
But woman holds the highest place
At this fair feast of ours.
As once in Eden's bowers;
But woman holds the highest place
At this fair feast of ours.
| Poems of home and country | |