Hand that Rocks the Cradle is the Hand that Rules the World

William Ross Wallace, who lived from 1819 to 1881, was an American poet and lawyer. Most of his work has faded from view, but one line from one poem has lived on far beyond his own reputation. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World was written in the nineteenth century and its title line has become a proverb, quoted by politicians, preachers and campaigners for more than a century, sometimes in contexts the author would hardly have recognised.

The poem itself is a straightforward tribute to mothers. It follows the pattern of much popular verse of its day: regular stanzas, plain language, a firm emotional message. Its central claim, that the influence exercised in the nursery shapes the course of history, was a common one in the nineteenth century, when the home was often described as a woman's proper sphere and its moral importance was stressed. Today we may read it with a more critical ear, but its warmth is genuine, and the phrase it gave to the language remains vivid.

This recording belongs to the weekly poetry project of the LibriVox community and was made for Mother's Day in 2006. There are five versions, each in its own short chapter, read by five volunteers. Hearing the same text in different voices shows how much room there is for interpretation even in an apparently simple poem, whether it is delivered as a serious tribute or with a lighter touch.

The whole set takes about twelve minutes, a handy length for a card, a call or a moment to say thank you. If you have ever used the phrase without knowing its source, this is the place to meet it properly, in a handful of warm and old-fashioned voices.