16
Poems
For men have greater things than those to do!"
My cousin answered with a lofty scorn.
"To weep is woman's share, to watch and pray
Are also her's! What good is in all that?"
"To weep is good, for see how Nature's tears
Bring forth the bloom, and make earth beautiful.
To watch and conquer in the strife with sin
And crush the serpent's head! is it not well?
To pray! ah, surely cousin you must own
The angels bend from heaven to hear us pray!"
"They bend too far!" She answered scornfully,
"They see our every flaw and every sin
They write down carefully,—let nothing pass,
And we are made to suffer for them all,
While man goes free,—the froward, favored child!"
My cousin answered with a lofty scorn.
"To weep is woman's share, to watch and pray
Are also her's! What good is in all that?"
"To weep is good, for see how Nature's tears
Bring forth the bloom, and make earth beautiful.
To watch and conquer in the strife with sin
And crush the serpent's head! is it not well?
To pray! ah, surely cousin you must own
The angels bend from heaven to hear us pray!"
"They bend too far!" She answered scornfully,
"They see our every flaw and every sin
They write down carefully,—let nothing pass,
And we are made to suffer for them all,
While man goes free,—the froward, favored child!"
"Now, cousin, you're unjust!" my wife replied."
'Thou shalt not sin,' was meant for all of us,
But many things are hidden from our sight
That's clear to God's, and it may even be
Men find it harder to be good than we,
For, cousin, God is always truly just."
'Thou shalt not sin,' was meant for all of us,
But many things are hidden from our sight
That's clear to God's, and it may even be
Men find it harder to be good than we,
For, cousin, God is always truly just."
"Why 'tis but just that he should love the most
