The Peace Maker

It has a point of neither sex     But comes in guise of both,     And, doubly dangerous complex,     It is a thing to loathe,     A lady with her sweet, sad smile,     A gentleman on oath.     Strip off the mother-veil, and fur!     And signs of quiet taste.     The dead childs locket take from her     (The dead mans gift in haste)     And wash from every evil line     The layers of filling paste!     From saddened eyes the hells own glare!     From sweet mouth blasphemy!     Wrench out the gold-filled false teeth there     That twice mock honesty,     And leave the evil face awry     For married folk to see.     For foolish girl wives in despair,     For mens and childrens sakes,     Let loose the glossed and padded hair     To writhe like scorching snakes!     And strip the barren body bare     To show what Satan makes.     Aye! I could take her by the throat     More sure than hangmans noose,     And set my teeth and set my nails,     And hate would set my thews.     And fling her to the drought-starved swine,     Were all my brethren Jews.     There was the kindest man I knew,     Brave, handsome, straight and tall,     Between his loved ones and the world     He stood, a fortress wall.     He whines, a ruined drunkard now,     And this thing did it all.     There was the girl who married me     And bore my children twain,     Well never meet each others eyes     Like boy and girl again.     The very childrens love and trust     By this foul thing was slain.     There was a girl my manhood loved,     Shed Loves own red gold hair,     And grey eyes that were Pitys own     And courage that was rare.     She sleeps amongst the suicides,     And this thing sent her there.     And all because the town was dull     And goodness was too tame,     And people took no interest     In one they could not blame.     And all because my life was clean     And I had won a name.     And now, for years of senseless hate     And paltry, bitter strife,     For reparation come too late,     For sweetheart, mate and wife,     I tread her vile heart in the dust     And ashes of my life.