Poems (Kennedy)/When Women Voted First

by Sara Beaumont Kennedy

WHEN WOMEN VOTED FIRST

THEY'D won at last—the long-drawn fight,
 Waged without shot or shell or brand
 Was theirs. Above their heads they heard
The Victory Palms, wind-swayed and sweet,
Make music for their eager feet
As though the seraphs came to greet
 Their entrance to the Promise Land
   Of their desires.
 O brave and bannered hosts of hearts
   That never quailed,
 O wondrous triumph of a faith
   That never failed!

And so at last they stood with men
 Sharing with them life's high demands,
 Striving to bear their perfect part.
 And when the strenuous task was done
And tellers took the garnered toll
They found of votes a tiny roll;
Of recipes and samples such a dole
   They might not count!
A laundry bill recited aching woes
   Of days long past,
And hairpins and mute chewing gum
   Told how that vote was cast.

And sad the tellers sighed as they threw out
 As chaff from winnowed wheat
   This strange collection.
"It was a splendid victory," they said,
   "For woman's rights—
Ah, yes! Also it was
   A mighty queer election!"