She was born on November 5th 1850 in Wisconsin USA and her poetry, I think, is both meaningful and inspirational. She wrote hundreds of poems, verses and quotes which appealed to the public for their sincerity and gentleness. She died of breast cancer on October 30th 1919 at her home in Conneticut. My two favourite poems by Ella Wheeler Wilcox are called "Wishing" and "The Two Glasses" Ok, now before you start saying, "Ella Wheeler Wilcox, who on earth's that?" You actually probably know one of her poems. I have added it below,

see if it rings a bell.

SOLITUDE

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

Weep, and you weep alone.

For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,

But has trouble enough of its own.

Sing, and the hills will answer;

Sigh, it is lost on the air.

The echoes bound to a joyful sound,

But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;

Grieve, and they turn and go.

They want full measure of all your pleasure,

But they do not need your woe.

Be glad, and your friends are many;

Be sad, and you lose them all.

There are none to decline your nectared wine,

But alone you must drink life's gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;

Fast, and the world goes by.

Succeed and give, and it helps you live,

But no man can help you die.

There is room in the halls of pleasure

For a long and lordly train,

But one by one we must all file on

Through the narrow aisles of pain.

The following poem, "Wishing" is my all time favourite, I have it in a book at home. Surprisingly, it is in very few poetry books.

I think the world would be a better place if we took heed of these words.

WISHING

Do you wish the World were better?

Let me tell you what to do:

Set a watch upon your actions,

Keep them always straight and true.

Rid your mind of selfish motives,

Let your thoughts be clean and high.

You can make a little Eden

Of the sphere you occupy.

Do you wish the World were wiser?

Then suppose you make a start,

By accumulating wisdom

In the scrap book of your heart.

Do not waste one page on folly;

Live to learn and learn to live.

If you want to give men knowledge

You must get it ere you give.

Do you wish the World were happy?

Then remember day by day,

Just to scatter seeds of kindness,

As you pass along the way.

For the pleasures of the many,

May be oft times traced to one.

As the hand that plants an acorn,

Shelters armies from the sun.

The next poem "The Two Glasses" I think, is descriptive writing at it's best. Ella Wheeler Wilcox believed that no matter what your background or wordly gains, you play an important role in society whether a humble servant or ruling King. She was quoted as saying "if you haven't what you like, like what you have".

THE TWO GLASSES

There sat two glasses, filled to the brim,

On a rich man's table, rim to rim.

One was ruddy and red as blood,

And one was clear as the crystal flood.

Said the glass of wine to his paler brother,

"Let us tell tales of the past to each other;

I can tell of banquet, and revel, and mirth,

Where I was a king, for I ruled in might;

For the proudest and grandest souls on earth

Fell under my touch, as though struck with blight.

From the heads of kings I have torn the crown;

From the heights of fame I have hurled men down.

I have blasted many an honored name;

I have taken virtue and given shame;

I have tempted the youth with a sip, a taste,

That has made his future a barren waste.

Far greater than any king am I,

Or than any army beneath the sky.

I have made the arm of the driver fail,

And sent the train from the iron rail.

I have made good ships go down at sea,

And the shrieks of the lost were sweet to me.

Fame, strength, wealth, genius before me fall;

Ho, ho! pale brother," said the wine,

"Can you boast of deeds as great as mine?"

Said the water-glass: "I cannot boast

Of a king dethroned, or a murdered host,

But I can tell of hearts that were sad

By my crystal drops made bright and glad;

Of thirsts I have quenched, and brows I have laved;

Of hands I have cooled, and souls I have saved.

I have leaped through the valley, dashed down the mountain,

Slept in the sunshine, and dripped from the fountain.

I have burst my cloud-fetters, and dropped from the sky,

And everywhere gladdened the prospect and eye;

I have eased the hot forehead of fever and pain;

I have made the parched meadows grow fertile with grain.

I can tell of the powerful wheel of the mill,

That ground out the flour, and turned at my will.

I can tell of manhood debased by you,

That I have uplifted and crowned anew;

I cheer, I help, I strengthen and aid;

I gladden the heart of man and maid;

I set the wine-chained captive free,

And all are better for knowing me."

These are the tales they told each other,

The glass of wine and its paler brother,

As they sat together, filled to the brim,

On a rich man's table, rim to rim.

Click on the Women of Words button below, if you would like to read

more of Ella's poetry, or any other of the great female poets.

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