A Woman's Work Is Never Done

From our 19th century historian Eudora Dickinson:

Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) is often referred to as the "poet laureate of the women's movement," and some even call him its founding father.  I wrote about that HERE. 

​Today is International Women's Day, originally called International Working Women's Day, and in the late-1800s, few if any other men recognized the contributions of woman as much and as publicly as Emmett Lee Dickinson. Therefore, in honor of International Women's Day, we have posted Dickinson's poem "The most important population" (below on the left).  His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem with the same opening line (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
The most important population
Among us dwell,
They are from heaven each woman
And when we tell
 
Their names, then you will know them
And soon know well
That from their work and contributions
The glass is full!

By Emily Dickinson:
 
The most important population
Unnoticed dwell,
They have a heaven each instant
Not any hell.

Their names, unless you know them,
'Twere useless tell.
Of bumble-bees and other nations
The grass is full.