"....Your children shall be like olive plants all around your table." Psalm 128:3

Monday, July 30, 2012

Queen of the Home {11}

The Need of the Hour

What does the country need? Not armies standing
With sabers gleaming ready for the fight;
Not increased navies, skillful and commanding,
To bound the waters with an iron might;
Not haughty men with glutted purses trying
To purchase souls, and keep the power of place;
Not jeweled dolls with one another vying
For palms of beauty, elegance, and grace.

But we want women, strong of soul, yet lowly
With that rare meekness, born of gentleness;
Women whose lives are pure and clean and holy,
The women whom all little children bless;
Brave, earnest women, helpful to each other,
With finest scorn for all things low and mean;
Women who hold the names of wife and mother
Far nobler than the title of a queen.

Oh! These are they who mold the men of story,
These mothers, ofttime shorn of grace and youth,
Who, worn and weary, ask no greater glory
Than making some young soul the home of truth;
Who sow in hearts all fallow for the sowing
The seeds of virtue and of scorn for sin,
And patient, watch the bounteous harvest growing
And weed out tares which crafty hands cast in.

Women who do not hold the gift of beauty
As some rare treasure to be bought and sold,
But guard it as a precious aid to duty-
The outer framing of the inner gold;
Women who, low above their cradles bending,
Let flattery's voice go by, and give no heed,
While their pure prayers like incense are ascending
These are our country's pride, our country's need.

~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

12 comments:

  1. Very lovely. I esp. like, "Women who hold the names of wife and mother far nobler than the title of a queen." Have a good week my friend!

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  2. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment, dear Jane. Hoping you have a lovely week, too!
    ~Lisa

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  3. LOVE this poem! Thanks for posting.

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    1. So glad you stopped by and commented, Meghan.
      Hope you're having a wonderful week.
      Blessings!

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  4. I've been having such an abnormally blah day today - just feeling TIRED...and trying to work up the energy to tidy up before my husband came home.
    This post gave me my 2nd wind for the day. Thank you, I appreciate this dearly.
    Patty from www.fanta4two.com

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  5. I'm so thankful that you were encouraged, Patty. Soli Deo Gloria!
    Have a lovely Wednesday!
    Blessings,
    Lisa

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  6. Hi Lisa, that is a beautiful poem, thank you so much for sharing. I hope you're having a wonderful day !!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you're having a lovely day as well! :)

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  7. I seriously had to come back and read this again. oh just amazing and soothing to my soul.
    I pinned it. I just may print and frame it too.
    Thanks again for sharing, you have no idea how much it blessed me.
    Patty

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  8. I am so glad to have you stop by again, Patty. I have said it before and I'll say it again : this book is a treasure trove of encouraging passages, poems, and essays. Other than Scripture, I've never known a book to encourage me so much in my calling as a keeper of the home. :)
    Hope you have a blessed week-end, my friend!
    ~Lisa

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  9. I have this book, Queen of the Home, and have been enjoying it.

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    1. It's definitely one of my favorites, Lady Violet. thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you have a lovely week-end.
      Blessings,
      ~Lisa

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Thanks so much for stopping by. I love to hear from my readers, and your thoughts are welcome. And I try my best to respond to each and every comment. :)