Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE HOUSEWIFE, by CHARLOTTE PERKINS STETSON GILMAN


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THE HOUSEWIFE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Here is the house to hold me - cradle of all the race
Last Line: I cover the earth with my children-each with a housewife's brain.
Alternate Author Name(s): Stetson, Charlotte Perkins
Subject(s): Housewives


Here is the House to hold me - cradle of all the race;
Here is my lord and my love, here are my children dear-
Here is the House enclosing, the dear-loved dwelling place;
Why should I ever weary for aught that I find not here?

Here for the hours of the day and the hours of the night;
Bound with the bands of Duty, rivetted tight;
Duty older than Adam-Duty that saw
Acceptance utter and hopeless in the eyes of the serving squaw.



Food and the serving of food-that is my daylong care;
What and when we shall eat, what and how we shall wear;
Soiling and cleaning of things-that is my task in the main-
Soil them and clean them and soil them-soil them and clean them again.



To work at my trade by the dozen and never a trade to know;
To plan like a Chinese puzzle-fitting and changing so;
To think of a thousand details, each in a thousand ways;
For my own immediate people and a possible love and praise.



My mind is trodden in circles, tiresome, narrow and hard,
Useful, commonplace, private-simply a small backyard;
And I the Mother of Nations!-Blind their struggle and vain!
I cover the earth with my children-each with a housewife's brain.








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