You who are happy in a thousand homes, <br />Or overworked therein, to a dumb peace; <br />Whose souls are wholly centered in the life <br />Of that small group you personally love– <br />Who told you that you need not know or care <br />About the sin and sorrow of the world? <br /> <br />Do you believe the sorrow of the world <br />Does not concern you in your little homes? <br />That you are licensed to avoid the care <br />And toil for human progress, human peace, <br />And the enlargement of our power of love <br />Until it covers every field of life? <br /> <br />The one first duty of all human life <br />Is to promote the progress of the world <br />In righteousness, in wisdom, truth and love; <br />And you ignore it, hidden in your homes, <br />Content to keep them in uncertain peace, <br />Content to leave all else without your care. <br /> <br />Yet you are mothers! And a mother's care <br />Is the first step towards friendly human life. <br />Life where all nations in untroubled peace <br />Unite to raise the standard of the world <br />And make the happiness we seek in homes <br />Spread everywhere in strong and fruitful love. <br /> <br />You are content to keep that mighty love <br />In its first steps forever; the crude care <br />Of animals for mate and young and homes, <br />Instead of poring it abroad in life, <br />Its mighty current feeding all the world <br />Till every human child shall grow in peace. <br /> <br />You cannot keep your small domestic peace, <br />Your little pool of undeveloped love, <br />While the neglected, starved, unmothered world <br />Struggles and fights for lack of mother's care, <br />And its tempestuous, bitter, broken life <br />Beats in upon you in your selfish homes. <br /> <br />We all may have our homes in joy and peace <br />When woman's life, in its rich power of love <br />Is joined with man's to care for all the world!<br /><br />Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-the-indifferent-women/
