E-text prepared by Chuck Greif and Pat Saumell
POEMS OF PASSION
BY
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX
Illustrated
OTHER BOOKS
by
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
THREE WOMEN
POEMS OF POWER
MAURINE
POEMS OF PASSION
POEMS OF PLEASURE
KINGDOM OF LOVE AND OTHER POEMS
AN ERRING WOMAN'S LOVE
EVERY-DAY THOUGHTS
MEN WOMEN AND EMOTIONS
AN AMBITIOUS MAN
THE BEAUTIFUL LAND OF NOD
AROUND THE YEAR WITH ELLA
WHEELER WILCOX A Birthday Book
W.B. CONKEY COMPANY
Publishers—CHICAGO
1883
What know you of the soul from whence it sprung?
His secret thought unto the listening crowd?
You have its shape, its color and no more.
That lie beneath the surface of the seas.
Here, take them at your pleasure; but think not
Where lie our shipwrecks and our coral caves.
THE POET'S SONG
PREFACE
Among the twelve hundred poems which have emanated from my too prolificpen there are some forty or fifty which treat entirely of that emotionwhich has been denominated "the grand passion"—love. A few of those areof an extremely fiery character.
When I issued my collection known as "Maurine, and Other Poems," Ipurposely omitted all save two or three of these. I had been frequentlyaccused of writing only sentimental verses; and I took pleasure andpride in presenting to the public a volume which contained more than onehundred poems upon other than sentimental topics. But no sooner was thebook published than letters of reg