Poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

How Is It?

You who are loudly crying out for peace,
You who are wanting love to vanquish hate,
How is it in the four walls of your home
The while you wait?

Do those who form your household welcome your approach in the morning
As the earth welcomes the presence of dawn,
Or do they dread your coming lest you censure and complain?
Do you begin the day with praise to God for each blessing you possess,
and do you speak frequent words of commendation to those about you?
Do those you claim to love often hear you talking in love’s language,
Or is your softest tone and your sweetest speech saved for the
sometime guest,
While the harsh voice and the sharp retort are used with those you
love the best?

You who are praying for the Christ’s return
And for the coming of the Promised Day,
How is it in the four walls of your home
   The while you pray?

Are you trying to make your home a reflection of what you believe
heaven will be?
Unless you are you will never find heaven anywhere;
The foundations of our heavenly mansions must first be built on earth.
Unless you are striving to put in use some of the angelic virtues here
and now,
No angelhood will be accorded you hereafter.

Unless you are illustrating your desire for peace by a peaceful,
love-ruled home,
You have no right to clamour for a cessation of hostilities among
nations;
Nations are only chains of individuals.
When each individual expresses nothing but love and peace in his daily
life, there will be no more war.

You who are loudly crying out for peace,
You who are wanting love to vanquish hate,
How is it in the four walls of your home
   The while you wait?

1. The Birth of the Orchid
2. The Call (All wantonly in hours of joy)
3. Be Not Attached
4. Behold the Earth
5. The Black Charger

Print

1289 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version