The American poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) is perhaps most famous for the words "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; / Weep, and you weep alone", the opening lines of her 1883 poem Solitude, inspired by a poignant encounter with a grief-stricken woman dressed in black during a train journey on the way to a party.
Our tea towel takes words from another of her poems, Protest. In this powerful piece, Wilcox reminds us of the importance of speaking out against injustice rather than remaining silent. Her stirring words, "To sin by silence, when we should protest, / Makes cowards out of men" urges us to remember our responsibility in challenging wrongdoing and standing up for what is right.
Known not only for her literary prowess but also for her advocacy of vegetarianism, animal rights, and her belief in reincarnation, Wilcox's writings encompassed a broad spectrum of human experience and social consciousness.
