African American Poetry (1870-1928): A Digital Anthology

Charlotte E. Linden, "The Prospect of the Future" (1907)

THE PROSPECT OF THE FUTURE, 
Or The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Rules the World. 
 
In looking o'er the prospects of the future 
And knowing the success of the past, 
And knowing it all comes through the woman of the world,
You need not count her least or last. 
 
For all that you can count to your credit of being 
This or that, or making life a success, you may rest assured 
And it is true where're you go, that 
The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. 

It seems that something must happen every day; 
It takes a mother's tender care to drive the blues away, 
It makes no difference how you try to keep her from the whirl, 
She will let you know that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. 
 
We boast of our great president and statesmen grand and bold, 
And forget it is through his mother's training 
That his name has been enrolled among noble heroes; 
Unfurling the flag and digging gold all come through 
The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. 

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