Bertha von Suttner received the Peace Prize for
A life of writing, work and lecturing on peace.
Born in Prague, a countess . . . but not more,
Her sex was not correct, for the times, at least.
Tell how, when none to marry could be found,
She failed at opera, then answered an ad which wound
Up bringing her face to face with, do tell: Alfred!
Although, friends for life, she never shared his bed.
She raced back to her true love, Arthur, who’d written,
“I can’t live without you.” Secretly, they wed,
Then moved to escape the social censure they were found in:
Married ‘across class.’ To the Caucasus, they fled.
Her writing (anonymously) developed in stages,
But her pen wielded truth that would sound, down the ages.
June Edvenson 