Woman
Gentle Woman! thou most perfect
Work of the Divine Architect;
Pearl and beauty of creation,
Rose of earth by all confession.
Myriad times thy smiles are sweeter
Than the morning sun doth scatter,
All the loveliness of Nature
Into thee almost doth enter.
The rose's hues and of the lily,
Verdant spring in all its beauty,
Brighter yet among th
flowers
Is fair woman in her bowers.
As the water fills the river,
Full of feeling is her temper,
And her love, once it doth settle,
Truer than the steel its mettle.
Full of tenderness her bosom,
Deep affection there doth blossom,
Gentle Woman! who can wonder
After thee man's heart doth wander?
I have seen without emotion
Fields of blood and desolation,
But I never saw the tear
On woman's eye and mine not water.
From her lips a word of soothing
Will disarm all angry feeling,
On her tongue a balm of comfort,
Great its virtue, strong its support.
Pleasant is it for the traveller
On his way to meet with succour,
Sweeter far when at his own home,
To receive fair woman's welcome.
Woman cheerful in a family
Makes the group around so happy,
And her voice filled with affection,
Yields an Eden of communion.
Poor the man that roams creation
Without woman for companion,
Destitute of all protection,
Without her to bless his station.
Gentle Woman! all we covet
Without thee would be but wretched,
Without thy voice to banish sorrow,
Or sweet help from thee to borrow.
Thou art light to cheer our progress,
Star to brighten all our darkness,
For the troubled soul an anchor
On each stormy sea of terror.