Philosophy.

At morn the wise man walked abroad,
    Proud with the learning of great fools.
He laughed and said, "There is no God -
    'Tis force creates, 'tis reason rules."

Meek with the wisdom of great faith,
    At night he knelt while angels smiled,
And wept and cried with anguished breath,
    "Jehovah, God, save thou my child."

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet, born on November 5, 1850, and died on October 30, 1919. She was known for her works expressing optimistic views and moral lessons. Her most famous book was 'Poems of Passion'. Her poem 'Solitude' contains the famous lines, 'Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone'. Over her career, Wilcox became popularly known as a 'people's poet'.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

More Fortunate

Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Simple Poetry

A Wakeful Night

Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Simple Poetry

Men Of The Sea

Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Simple Poetry

A Song Of Republics

Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

Here And Now

Here, in the heart of the world,
    Here, in the noise and the din,
Here, where our spirits were hurled
    To battle with sorrow and sin,
This is the place and the spot
    For knowledge of infinite things
This is the kingdom where Thought
    Can conquer the prowess of kings

Wait for no heavenly life,
    Seek for no temple alone;
Here, in the midst of the strife,
    Know what the sages have known.
See what the Perfect Ones saw -
    God in the depth of each soul,
God as the light and the law,
    God as beginning and goal.

Earth is one chamber of Heaven,
    Death is no grander than birth.
Joy in the life that was given,
    Strive for perfection on earth;
Here, in the turmoil and roar,
    Show what it is to be calm;<...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Justice

However inexplicable may seem
Event and circumstance upon the earth,
Though favours fall on those who none esteem,
And insult and indifference greet worth,
Though poverty repays a life of toil,
And riches spring where idle feet have trod,
And storms lay waste the patiently tilled soil -
Yet Justice sways the universe of God.

As undisturbed the stately stars remain
Beyond the glare of day's obscuring light,
So Justice dwells, though mortal eyes in vain
Seek it persistently by reason's sight.
But, when once freed, the illumined soul looks out -
Its cry will be, 'O God, how could I doubt?'

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

The Crimes Of Peace

Musing upon the tragedies of earth,
Of each new horror which each hour gives birth,
Of sins that scar and cruelties that blight
Life's little season, meant for man's delight,
Methought those monstrous and repellent crimes
Which hate engenders in war-heated times,
To God's great heart bring not so much despair
As other sins which flourish everywhere
And in all times - bold sins, bare-faced and proud,
Unchecked by college, and by Church allowed,
Lifting their lusty heads like ugly weeds
Above wise precepts and religious creeds,
And growing rank in prosperous days of peace.
Think you the evils of this world would cease
With war's cessation?
    If God's eyes know tears,
Methinks He weeps more for the wasted years
And the lost meaning of this earthly life -

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Justice

However inexplicable may seem
    Event and circumstance upon this earth,
Though favours fall on those whom none esteem,
    And insult and indifference greet worth;
Though poverty repays the life of toil,
    And riches spring where idle feet have trod,
And storms lay waste the patiently tilled soil -
    Yet Justice sways the universe of God.

As undisturbed the stately stars remain
    Beyond the glare of day's obscuring light,
So Justice dwells, though mortal eyes in vain
    Seek it persistently by reason's sight.
But when, once freed, the illumined soul looks out.
Its cry will be, 'O God, how could I doubt!'

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Presumption

Whenever I am prone to doubt or wonder -
    I check myself, and say, "That mighty One
Who made the solar system cannot blunder -
    And for the best all things are being done."
Who set the stars on their eternal courses
    Has fashioned this strange earth by some sure plan.
Bow low, bow low to those majestic forces,
    Nor dare to doubt their wisdom, puny man.

You cannot put one little star in motion,
    You cannot shape one single forest leaf,
Nor fling a mountain up, nor sink an ocean,
    Presumptuous pigmy, large with unbelief.
You cannot bring one dawn of regal splendour,
    Nor bid the day to shadowy twilight fall,
Nor send the pale moon forth with radiance tender -
    And dare you doubt the One who has done all?

"So much is wrong, the...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Here And Now

Here, in the heart of the world,
    Here, in the noise and the din,
Here, where our spirits were hurled
    To battle with sorrow and sin,
This is the place and the spot
    For knowledge of infinite things;
This is the kingdom where Thought
    Can conquer the prowess of kings.

Wait for no heavenly life,
    Seek for no temple alone;
Here, in the midst of the strife,
    Know what the sages have known.
See what the Perfect Ones saw -
    God in the depth of each soul,
God as the light and the law,
    God as beginning and goal.

Earth is one chamber of Heaven,
    Death is no grander than birth.
Joy in the life that was given,
    Strive for perfection on earth.
Here, in the turmoil and roar,
    Show what it is to be calm...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox