Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Inborn

As long as men have eyes wherewith to gaze,
    As long as men have eyes,
The sight of beauty to their sense shall be
As mighty winds are to a sleeping sea
    When stormy billows rise.
And beauty's smile shall stir youth's ardent blood
As rays of sunlight burst the swelling bud;
    As long as men have eyes wherewith to gaze.

As long as men have words wherewith to praise,
    As long as men have words,
They shall describe the softly-moulded breast,
Where Love and Pleasure make their downy nest,
    Like little singing birds;
And lovely limbs, and lips of luscious fire,
Shall be the theme of many a poet's lyre,
    As long as men have words wherewith to praise.

As long as men have hearts that long for homes,
    As long as men have hearts,
Hid often like the acorn in the earth,
Their inborn love of noble woman's worth,
    Beyond all beauty's arts,
Shall stem the sensuous current of desire,
And urge the world's best thought to something higher,
    As long as men have hearts that long for homes.