Book Three The Church of the Servant-girls
Was it for this—that prayers like these
Should spend themselves about thy feet,
And with hard, over-labored knees
Kneeling, these slaves of men should beat
Bosoms too lean to suckle sons
And fruitless as their orisons?
Was it for this—that men should make
Thy name a fetter on men’s necks,
Poor men made poorer for thy sake,
And women withered out of sex?
Was it for this—that slaves should be—
Thy word was passed to set men free? Swinburne.