A woman is a foreign land,
Of which, though there he settle young,
A man will ne’er quite understand
The customs, politics, and tongue.
The foolish hie them post-haste through,
See fashions odd, and prospects fair,
Learn of the language, “How d’ye do,”
And go and brag they have been there.
The most for leave to trade apply,
For once, at Empire’s seat, her heart,
Then get what knowledge ear and eye
Glean chancewise in the life-long mart.
And certain others, few and fit,
Attach them to the Court, and see
The Country’s best, its accent hit,
And partly sound its polity.
(Coventry Patmore)
More Poetry from Coventry Patmore:
Coventry Patmore Poems based on Topics: Man, Fairness, Woman, Youth, Education, Fool, Learning, Language, Politics, Countries, Custom & Convention- Olympus (Coventry Patmore Poems)
- An Idyll (Coventry Patmore Poems)
- Alexander And Lycon (Coventry Patmore Poems)
- The Angel In The House. Book I. Canto VI. (Coventry Patmore Poems)
- The Angel In The House. Book I. Canto IV. (Coventry Patmore Poems)
- The Angel In The House. Book I. Canto V. (Coventry Patmore Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Man Poems, Youth Poems, Fairness Poems, Woman Poems, Education Poems, Fool Poems, Countries Poems, Learning Poems, Language Poems, Custom & Convention Poems, Politics PoemsBased on Keywords: fashions, mart, prospects, glean, life-long, brag, attach, polity, post-haste, chancewise