THE MOTHERS
Mother Eve of Eden
Pandora’s sister, thou;
For depth of curiosity
Thy pain the price, somehow.
Sing the mothers’ melody
The cup of sorrows draw;
From the well of womanhood’s rich store.
Beloved mother Mary
Serenity thy veil;
Of virtue unimpeachable
Thy love couldst never fail.
Sing the mothers’ lullaby
The milk of longing bear;
From the breast of womanhood unspared.
Mother Eve unbind thy hair
To shield thy naked frame;
In beauty and in bitterness
But art thou so to blame?
Sing the mothers’ requiem
In sons thou bore and lost;
Wouldst thou knowingly have paid the cost?
Mother Mary lift thine eyes
To face the weary day;
With pious generosity
How couldst thou turn away?
Sing the mothers’ harmony
All ages join the hymn;
Never shalt thy memories grow dim.
Eve with Mary at thy side
With eyes of wonder see;
The mothers of the world to come
A sisterhood for thee.
Mary, mother, lend thy love
To weeping Mother Eve
Thy destinies to love
And so to grieve.
Rings the mothers’ melody forever down the years
In verse of loving tenderness, refrained about with tears.
The Mothers
