 | Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge |  |
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“THIS WICKED WORLD.”
One winter's day, some years ago,
I came to dwell on earth;
The parish clerk, in legal form,
He registered my birth.
I came to dwell on earth;
The parish clerk, in legal form,
He registered my birth.
No pauper I. Ten lovely toes
Were mine to have and hold;
And also two as rosy fists
As e'er made baby bold.
Were mine to have and hold;
And also two as rosy fists
As e'er made baby bold.
I thrived in dreams of catnip tea,
And lullaby and rattle;
And varied all the waking hours
With “gug-gal-loo” for prattle.
And lullaby and rattle;
And varied all the waking hours
With “gug-gal-loo” for prattle.
Then came the first grand balance act,
And then the feat of walking;
Then “mam-mam,” “pap-pa-pa,” and then
The miracle of talking.
And then the feat of walking;
Then “mam-mam,” “pap-pa-pa,” and then
The miracle of talking.
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So far, so good. I 'd tasted joys,
And arrow-root, and sweets;
And found the world, upon the whole,
A realm of jolly treats.
And arrow-root, and sweets;
And found the world, upon the whole,
A realm of jolly treats.
But next there rose an alphabet
To vex and plague its betters;
'T was now as plain as A, B, C,
This was a world of letters.
To vex and plague its betters;
'T was now as plain as A, B, C,
This was a world of letters.
Henceforth life's troubles came and went
Like troops of busy weasels:
Now 't was a world of whooping-cough,
And now a world of measles.
Like troops of busy weasels:
Now 't was a world of whooping-cough,
And now a world of measles.
Then “two times two” and “four and six,”
Conspired to vex my slumbers,
And prove, since figures never lie,
This sphere a world of numbers.
Conspired to vex my slumbers,
And prove, since figures never lie,
This sphere a world of numbers.
So boyhood sped. I learned the power
That early pluck discloses;
And, for a while, this life stood forth
A world of battered noses.
That early pluck discloses;
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A world of battered noses.
Next “Lalla Rookh” and “Rasselas,”
And thoughts that burned on paper;
Hazing; and foot-ball; and “exams;”
The student's midnight taper.
And thoughts that burned on paper;
Hazing; and foot-ball; and “exams;”
The student's midnight taper.
Then came a glance, a dash of pink,
A voice than music sweeter,
A lovely form—“Good world!” I cried,
“There ne'er was aught completer!”
A voice than music sweeter,
A lovely form—“Good world!” I cried,
“There ne'er was aught completer!”
There ne'er was aught so sweet as love—
That gift of wondrous leaven;
It raised the world to Paradise—
Nay, earth itself was heaven!
That gift of wondrous leaven;
It raised the world to Paradise—
Nay, earth itself was heaven!
“Married and settled,” so men said.
The busy years still flew.
This was a world of marketing,
Yet a world of comfort, too.
The busy years still flew.
This was a world of marketing,
Yet a world of comfort, too.
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Money was needed—little shoes,
And little hats and frocks,
And household goods—and so it grew
To be a world of stocks.
And little hats and frocks,
And household goods—and so it grew
To be a world of stocks.
A world of stocks one hour, and next
A world of blessed pleasure—
The home world and the outer world
Divided dross and treasure.
A world of blessed pleasure—
The home world and the outer world
Divided dross and treasure.
But all the while a gladsome pulse
Within my heart was leaping,
Because the Father overhead
His watch and ward was keeping.
Within my heart was leaping,
Because the Father overhead
His watch and ward was keeping.
Trouble and joy, and care and pain,
They filled the measure duly;
Yet that the Lord of all was good
I knew and felt it truly.
They filled the measure duly;
Yet that the Lord of all was good
I knew and felt it truly.
If now and then some injury
Was dealt me by my fellow,
I tried to think the bruisèd heart
Was only getting mellow.
Was dealt me by my fellow,
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Was only getting mellow.
Well, wife and I, still hand in hand,
Are trudging on together;
We find the world more gold than gilt,
More worth than fuss-and-feather.
Are trudging on together;
We find the world more gold than gilt,
More worth than fuss-and-feather.
“This wicked world,” forsooth?—Why, that 's
What puzzles me: to find it
Called wholly wicked, when we know
There 's so much good behind it.
What puzzles me: to find it
Called wholly wicked, when we know
There 's so much good behind it.
If folks would let the world go by,
And just stick close to duty,
Taking life's blessings as they come,
And drinking in earth's beauty,
And just stick close to duty,
Taking life's blessings as they come,
And drinking in earth's beauty,
It seems to me the flag of cant
Would in a trice be furled,
And only wicked lips would call
God's world a wicked world.
Would in a trice be furled,
And only wicked lips would call
God's world a wicked world.
| Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge | |