Showing for all historic time
In folly, cruelty and crime.
Their Nordic shame.
WHY NATURE LAUGHS
In a very lonely forest,
Beside a lonely sea,
I found an ancient woman once,
Beneath an ancient tree.
She was laughing there more wildly
Than I had ever dreamed.
At first she only sat and shook,
And then she rolled and screamed.
So I naturally accosted her,
And asked if I might share
The source of inward merriment
Which kept her screaming there.
She straightened up and looked at me
A moment — hardly more —
I seemed to make the lady laugh
Worse than she did before.
But finally, with gasps for breath,
And lips that twitched and curled,
Said she, “I’m Grandma Nature,
And I’m laughing at the World!”
“The world!” said I. “The world’ said she,
“Especially your half —
I used to rage and grieve for it,
But now I only laugh.
I used to suffer fearfully
To see your needless pain,
To see you mortify the flesh
Because you had a brain.
To see you stultify the brain
Because you had a soul,
To see you try to save a part
By injuring the whole.
You stunt the brain with foolishness,
You stunt the soul with lies,
You stunt the body with disease,
And then you seek the skies.
You’re sickly when you might be well,
Fools when you might be wise,
And wicked when you might be good,
Yet you expect the skies.
You hedge yourselves with needless walls,
You bind with needless chains,
You drive away your natural joys,
And court unnatural pains.
Why do I laugh?” — she shook again —
“Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear!
Because your hell is such a farce,
Your heaven is so near.”
TWIGS
’Tis an amusing sight to see
The topmost twigs on a growing tree
Look down with freshly-worded scorn
On the boughs by which they are up-borne.
Below, beneath contempt, is sunk
The twigless mid-Victorian trunk;
While as for roots — how should they know
There must be roots for them to grow.
“We Twigs are Youth! Are Life!” they say,
“We are the World! We are Today!
This talk of boughs and trunk bark rough —
And tribal myth of roots — old stuff!”
The tree minds not the little dears;
It has had twigs in previous years.
THE FRONT WAVE
The little front wave ran up on the sand
And frothed there, highly elated;
“I am the Tide!” cried the little front wave,
“The waves before me are dated!”
QUEER PEOPLE
The people people work with best
Are often very queer
The people people own by birth
Quite shock your first idea;
The people people choose for friends
Your common sense appall,
But the people people marry
Are the queerest folks of all.
THE EARTH, THE WORLD, AND I
Child, said The Earth to me,
What can you do?
Why do you try?
Can you not see
That all you are and can ever be
Is the product of Heredity? —
Merely the outcome sure and true
Of other lives gone by?
Because your ancestors were such —
Back to primeval slime —
Therefore you ail and sin so much,
Therefore ’tis waste of time
For you to try to steer your course
Free of this cumulative force
Beast, plant, and rock your story runs
Back to the powers that swing the suns.
And can you disobey the laws
That move you from the primal cause?
Peace fretful child! be still!
And do my will!
Said I to The Earth — Dear Dirt —
Your remarks do not hurt,
Being peacefully perfectly true —
But the fact of my coming from you
Does not alter another, my dear —
This fact, — I am here
Evolution’s long effort To Be —
Has resulted in me
And I hark with respect to your tones
As I would to my bones,
Should their feelings new utterance give —
Should they say “we allow you to live!”
Heredity? Yes, I admit
All you’re claiming for it.
The “first cause” is still running your ranch,
But I’m a collateral branch!
In which the same power is set free
To be handled by me
You don’t see it? No matter old friend
It’s all one in the end.
Child, said The World to me,
What can you do?
Why do you try?
Can you not see
That all the effort you have spent
Is the product of Environment? —
That your surroundings govern you,
And circumstances nigh?
Because you’re born in such an age,
Because you’re taught from such a page,
Because your friends are so and so,
Therefore you act and feel and know
Just as you do. In vain you’ve tried
To throw this influence aside.
Fruit of your century and race,
Your family and dwelling place,
Your education work & friends —
You have no individual ends!
Peace fretful child! Be Still!
And do my will!
Said I to the World — I can take
No offense at the statements you make,
They are truthful as far as they go —
But there’s much you don’t know.
Your power you correctly define —
But you fail to see mine.
You make me, in part, it is true —
But my friend — who made you?
The environment strong on our race
Is not climate or place.
So much as each new demonstration
Of our social relation
Our strongest impressions we take
From conditions we make —
And when we don’t like the effect,
We can change — can select,
Can unmake and remake and choose
The conditions we use!
Just think what the product will be
When I make you make me!
THE FLAG OF PEACE
Men have long fought for their flying flags,
They have died those flags to save;
Their long staves rest on the shattered breast,
They are planted deep in the grave.
Now the world’s new flag is streaming wide,
Far flying wide and high,
It shall cover the earth from side to side
As the rainbow rings the sky.
The flag of the day when men shall stand
For service, not for fight;
When every race in every land,
Shall join for the world’s delight;
When all our flags shall blend in one,
And all our wars shall cease,
&nbs
p; ‘Neath the new flag! The true flag!
The rainbow flag of peace.
On a field of white that bow above
Shall arch the world across,
And all the colors that we love
Glow there without a loss.
Orange and green in union new,
Proud gold and violet fair,
With world-beloved red white and blue
Shall shine together there.
Green for the earth that holds us one,
All blue of sky and sea,
And the golden hue of that great sun
In whose light our life must be.
Red for the blood of brotherhood,
White for the soul’s release, —
The new flag! The true flag!
The rainbow flag of peace!
SONG FOR THE WORLD’S FLAG
As the green earth shines in the star-filled sky,
Our white world shines on the blue;
Each free land with its star on high,
All held close by the crimson tie
Of one blood, strong and true.
(Chorus)
Union! Union! States of all the World!
Union widening fast!
One is the Power that made mankind,
One the human heart is! One the human mind!
One is the World at last!
White blood of progress, blue blood of pride,
Black blood of service and cheer,
Yellow, red, or brown man, white man beside,
Room for them all in the world so wide —
Red blood of brotherhood here.
(Chorus)
Union! Union! States of all the World!
Union widening fast!
One is the Power that made mankind,
One the human heart is! One the human mind!
One is the world at last!
THE KINGDOM
“Where is Heaven?” asked the Person.
I want Heaven — to enjoy it;
I want Heaven, recompensing
For the evils I have suffered —
All the terrible injustice,
All the foolish waste and hunger —
Where is Heaven? Can I get there?”
Then the Priest expounded Heaven:
“Heaven is a place for dead men;
After you are dead you’ll find it,
If” — and here the Priest was earnest —
“If you do the things I tell you —
Do exactly what is ordered!
It will cost you quite a little —
You must pay a price for Heaven —
You must pay before you enter.”
Am I sure of what I’m getting?”
Asked the mean, suspicious Person.
“What you urge is disagreeable;
What you ask is quite expensive;
Am I sure of getting Heaven?”
Then the Priest prepared a potion,
Made of Concentrated Ages,
Made of Many Mingled Feelings —
Highest Hope and Deepest Terror —
Mixed our best and worst together,
Reverence and Love and Service,
Coward Fear and rank Self-Interest —
Gave him this when he was little,
Pumped it in before the Person
Could examine his prescription.
So the Person, thus instructed,
Now believed the things he told him;
Paid the price as he was able,
Died — the Priest said, went to Heaven —
None came back to contradict him!
* * *
“We want Heaven,” said the People;
“We believe in God and Heaven;
Where God is, there must be Heaven;
God is Here — and this is Heaven.”
Then they saw the earth was lovely;
Life was sweet, and love eternal;
Then they learned the joy of living,
Caught a glimpse of what Life might be,
What it could be — should be — would be
When the People chose to have it!
Then they bought no further tickets
Of the sidewalk speculators;
They no longer gave their children
The “spring medicine” of Grandma.
They said, “We will take no chances
Of what happens after dying;
We perceive that Human Beings,
Wise, and sweet, and brave, and tender,
Strong, and beautiful, and noble,
Living peaceably together,
In a universal garden
With the Sciences for Soldiers,
With the Allied Arts for Angels
With the Crafts and Trades for Servants,
With all Nature for the Teacher,
And all People for the Students,
Make a very pleasant Heaven.
We can see and understand it,
We believe we’d really like some,
Now we’ll set to work and make it!”
So they set to work together,
In the Faith that rests on Knowledge,
In the Hope that’s born of Wisdom,
In the Love that grows with Practise —
And proceeded to make Heaven.
And God smiled. He had been tired
Of the everlasting dead men,
Of the hungry, grasping, dead men;
He had always wanted live ones —
Wanted them to build the Kingdom!
HAPPINESS
That which mankind from birth forever seeks,
All men, all women, in the dark or light,
This common voice must be where Nature speaks,
This common need is surely proven right.
Deep in the human heart lies one demand,
One simple natural longing all confess,
We ask of life, of love, of God’s high hand,
This one thing only — perfect happiness!
THE REAL RELIGION
Man, the hunter, Man, the warrior;
Slew for gain and slew for safety,
Slew for rage, for sport, for glory —
Slaughter was his breath:
So the man’s mind, searching inward,
Saw in all one red reflection,
Filled the world with dark religions
Built on Death.
Death and The Fate of The Soul; —
The soul, from the body dissevered;
Through the withering failure of age,
Through the horror and pain of disease,
Through raw wounds and destruction and fear: —
In fear, black fear of the dark,
Red fear of terrible gods,
Sent forth on its journey, alone,
To eternity, fearful, unknown —
Death, and The Fate of the Soul.
Woman, bearer; Woman, teacher;
Overflowing love and labor,
Service of the tireless mother
Filling all the earth; —
Now her mind, awakening, searching,
Sees a fair world, young and growing,
Sees at last our real religion —
Built on Birth.
Birth, and The Growth of The Soul; —
The Soul, in the body established;
In the ever-new beauty of childhood,
In the wonder of opening power,
Still learning, improving, achieving;
In hope, new knowledge and light,
Sure faith in the world’s fresh Spring, —
Together we live, we grow,
On the earth that we love and know —
Birth, and the Growth of the Soul.
A CENTRAL SUN
Given a central sun — and a rolling world;
Into the light we whirl — and call it day;
Into the dark we turn — and call it night;
Glow of the dawn — glory of mid-day light —
> Shadow of eve — rest of the flower-sweet night —
And the dawn again!
Given a constant Soul — and a passing form;
Into the light we grow — and call it life;
Into the dark we go — and call it death;
Glory of youth — beauty and pride and power —
Shadow of age — rest of the final hour —
And are born again!
BEGIN NOW
O, never mind what the world has done
Before,
As a matter of fact, we’ve just begun —
No more!
The glory of life is ours to take;
The world we want is for us to make;
The loveliest faith of all the lands
Is true,
And the building of heaven is in our hands
To do!
HAPPY DAY
We want to vote for a bright tomorrow,
Dawn of hope and end of sorrow!
Happy day! Happy day! Happy day! For the world!
Vote for the men who will do their duty,
Country’s good and city’s beauty!
Happy day! Happy day! Happy day! For the world!
Chorus:
See us coming all together! Hoo-ray! Hoo-ray!
And hand in hand we’ll take our stand
To win the vote for women!
Today! Today!
To win the vote for women!
Today! Today!
To win the vote for women!
We want to vote as wives and mothers!
With our husbands, fathers, brothers!
Happy day! Happy day! Happy day! For the world!
To save the home and the children in it!
Work to do, so now begin it!
Happy day! Happy day! Happy day! For the world!
We are not fools and we are not crazy;
We’re not bad, corrupt, nor lazy:
Happy day! Happy day! Happy day! For the world!
We’ll use our power when the power is given;
Make this world more fit to live in!
Happy day! Happy day! Happy day! For the world!
In Honor, Truth and Right our trust is;
Give us Freedom! Give us Justice!
Happy day! Happy day! Happy day! For the world!
The People’s Voice is Freedom’s axis!
All should vote who pay their taxes!
Happy day! Happy day! Happy day! For the world!
NOBLESSE OBLIGE
I.
I was well born....
A wise, free maiden grew to womanhood,
Guiding and training her young life for me;
With splendid body, vigorous and strong;
Complete Works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman Page 189
