Ella Wheeler Wilcox (5 November 1850 - 30 October 1919 / Johnstown Center / Rock County / Wisconsin)

''It has ever been since time began,
And ever will be, till time lose breath,
That love is a mood—no more—to man,
And love to a woman is life or death.''

''There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a large and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.''

''Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.''

''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''

''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.''

''Come, cuddle your head on my shoulder, dear,
Your head like the golden-rod,
And we will go sailing away from here
To the beautiful land of Nod.''

''With care, and skill, and cunning art,
She parried Time's malicious dart,
And kept the years at bay,
Till passion entered in her heart
And aged her in a day!''

''He may not shine with courtly graces,
But yet, his kind, respectful air
To woman, whatsoe'er her place is,
It might be well if kings could share.
So, for the chivalric true gentleman,
Give me, I say, our own American.''

''It's the set of the sails and not the gales,
That bids them where to go.''

''It's the set of the soul that decides the goal,
And not the storms or the strife.''