The Relations of the Sexes (Duffey)/Preface
PREFACE.
Only a woman, and weak,
And ignorant too, yet wise in a womanly way,
I will not keep silent because forbidden to speak!
Why should I, pray?
And ignorant too, yet wise in a womanly way,
I will not keep silent because forbidden to speak!
Why should I, pray?
You tell me the world is bad;
That vice flaunts her scarlet robe through the city street;
You tell me tales, Oh how terrible! how sad!
Of the sin we meet.
That vice flaunts her scarlet robe through the city street;
You tell me tales, Oh how terrible! how sad!
Of the sin we meet.
You tell me that men are vile;
That women their womanly crown cast in folly away;
That virtue there is not in either; and yet you smile
At the words you say.
That women their womanly crown cast in folly away;
That virtue there is not in either; and yet you smile
At the words you say.
You tell me, in these sad days
That even childhood, that ought to be pure as the snow,
Is versed in the wanton's words and the wanton's ways,
And is doomed to woe.
That even childhood, that ought to be pure as the snow,
Is versed in the wanton's words and the wanton's ways,
And is doomed to woe.
Yes, you say with undrooping eyes
That lust, not love, reigns king in this wretched earth;
That on its altar are offered in sacrifice
All things of worth.
That lust, not love, reigns king in this wretched earth;
That on its altar are offered in sacrifice
All things of worth.
All things of worth; all truth
And honor of man, and all woman's faith and trust;
While the beautiful love that belongs to the days of youth
Is dragged in dust.
And honor of man, and all woman's faith and trust;
While the beautiful love that belongs to the days of youth
Is dragged in dust.
And you say that these things must be:
That woman must sink in the lowest depth of sin,
That the baser passions of man may riot free—
Thus it ever has been.
That woman must sink in the lowest depth of sin,
That the baser passions of man may riot free—
Thus it ever has been.
And when my horror I speak,
You look in my face with a mockingly calm surprise,
And call me ignorant, womanish, foolish and weak!—
Men are so wise!
You look in my face with a mockingly calm surprise,
And call me ignorant, womanish, foolish and weak!—
Men are so wise!
Oh Father! I cry to Thee!
Has this been so since ever the world began?
Oh, tell me if all these terrible things must be?—
If it is Thy plan?
Has this been so since ever the world began?
Oh, tell me if all these terrible things must be?—
If it is Thy plan?
Then why were Christ's patience and pain?
And why were His sorrowing life and His death on the cross?
Ah, why was the sacrifice if there is never a gain,
But only a loss?
And why were His sorrowing life and His death on the cross?
Ah, why was the sacrifice if there is never a gain,
But only a loss?
Must this frightful draft go on?
Then where shall we seek for recruits for this army of hell?
From whence shall we look for the new when the old are gone?
I pray you tell!
Then where shall we seek for recruits for this army of hell?
From whence shall we look for the new when the old are gone?
I pray you tell!
The innocent babe of to-day
May the profligate be, or the wanton bold, of to-morrow!
Must we give our treasures this horrible draft to pay?
We feel this sorrow?
May the profligate be, or the wanton bold, of to-morrow!
Must we give our treasures this horrible draft to pay?
We feel this sorrow?
Your velvet-eyed baby girl,
Will you yield her willingly up to this loathsome claim?
My son—shall I see him drawn in this maddening whirl
Of sin and shame?
Will you yield her willingly up to this loathsome claim?
My son—shall I see him drawn in this maddening whirl
Of sin and shame?
And shall I not dare to speak?
To that which "must be" shall I seek to be reconciled?
Shall I sit with my hands all folded in patience, and meek,
And thus lose my child?
To that which "must be" shall I seek to be reconciled?
Shall I sit with my hands all folded in patience, and meek,
And thus lose my child?
Shall women thus live and mourn?
Bearing and loving and rearing to lose at last?
Shall all they have loved and suffered for, turn by turn
In this depth be cast?
Bearing and loving and rearing to lose at last?
Shall all they have loved and suffered for, turn by turn
In this depth be cast?
No! by the God above!
No! In the anguish deep of my motherhood
I will cry out that I know that my God is love;
That He is good!
No! In the anguish deep of my motherhood
I will cry out that I know that my God is love;
That He is good!
He orders not thus on earth!
When I felt the deep throes which gave to my darling life
He in His mercy would sure have sent Death with birth,
And thus ended the strife.
When I felt the deep throes which gave to my darling life
He in His mercy would sure have sent Death with birth,
And thus ended the strife.
Only a woman, and weak,
And ignorant too, yet wise in a womanly way,
I will not keep silent because forbidden to speak!
I will have my say.
And ignorant too, yet wise in a womanly way,
I will not keep silent because forbidden to speak!
I will have my say.
I'll not credit the tale you've told;
The world is not utterly bad, though you tell me so;
I know there are some who are faithless and wicked and bold,
But not all; oh no!
The world is not utterly bad, though you tell me so;
I know there are some who are faithless and wicked and bold,
But not all; oh no!
By the pangs which a mother feels,
By a love which a wife has given and a wife received,
By the sacred hearth, by the altar where she kneels,—
You are not believed.
By a love which a wife has given and a wife received,
By the sacred hearth, by the altar where she kneels,—
You are not believed.
I know there are noisome weeds
With an odor rank, in this beautiful garden of God;
But I know that sweet flowers are scattering myriad seeds
To spring from the sod.
With an odor rank, in this beautiful garden of God;
But I know that sweet flowers are scattering myriad seeds
To spring from the sod.
I can never, never think
That those who have tasted the sacred joys which well
From the fountain of love and home, can e'er turn and drink
Of the waters of hell.
That those who have tasted the sacred joys which well
From the fountain of love and home, can e'er turn and drink
Of the waters of hell.
I know in the days of youth
All love is beautiful, wonderful, sweet, divine;
And I trust that in some young hearts are faith and truth,
Spite of words of thine.
All love is beautiful, wonderful, sweet, divine;
And I trust that in some young hearts are faith and truth,
Spite of words of thine.
I know you have spoken lies;
Though women are womanish, still they are guides of youth,
And mothers of men, and they must be strong and wise,
And queens, in truth.
Though women are womanish, still they are guides of youth,
And mothers of men, and they must be strong and wise,
And queens, in truth.
Go, hang down your head in shame!
Tho' lust walks abroad, yet, while women shall rule the hearth,
Pure love will burn on with an ever-abiding flame,
Nor lost is earth.
Tho' lust walks abroad, yet, while women shall rule the hearth,
Pure love will burn on with an ever-abiding flame,
Nor lost is earth.
E. B. D.