Classic and Contemporary Poetry
WOMEN OF TODAY, by CHARLOTTE PERKINS STETSON GILMAN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: You women of today who fear so much Last Line: The thing you are! Alternate Author Name(s): Stetson, Charlotte Perkins Subject(s): Women's Rights; Feminism | ||||||||
You women of today who fear so much The women of the future, showing how The dangers of her course are such and such- What are you now? Mothers and Wives and Housekeepers, forsooth! Great names, you cry, full scope to rule and please, Room for wise age and energetic youth!- But are you these? Housekeepers? Do you then, like those of yore, Keep house with power and pride, with grace and ease? No, you keep servants only! What is more- You don't keep these! Wives, say you? Wives! Blessed indeed are they Who hold of love the everlasting keys, Keeping your husbands' hearts! Alas the day! You don't keep these! And mothers? Pitying Heaven! Mark the cry From cradle death-beds! Mothers on their knees! Why, half the children born, as children, die! You don't keep these! And still the wailing babies come and go, And homes are waste, and husband's hearts fly far; There is no hope until you dare to know The thing you are! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD HEMATITE HEIRLOOM LIVES ON (MAYBE DECEMBER 1980) by ALICE NOTLEY ON THE BEACH by CLARIBEL ALEGRIA FEMINIST POEM NUMBER ONE by ELIZABETH ALEXANDER HYPOCRITE SWIFT by LOUISE BOGAN FOR A GODCHILD, REGINA, ON THE OCCASION OF HER FIRST LOVE by TOI DERRICOTTE HESTER'S SONG by TOI DERRICOTTE A CONSERVATIVE by CHARLOTTE PERKINS STETSON GILMAN |
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