The following poem was written by Jane Wilde, mother of Oscar.

Jane Wilde, who was officially ‘Lady’ Jane Wilde, was an ardent Irish Nationalist who died in poverty. Her second eldest son, Oscar, lauded for his literary prowess, did nothing to help the impoverished people of his native land, yet his mother cared deeply for them.

Instead, he traversed the globe having a good time while the people of Ireland starved to death in the ditches and died of disease in the wretched workhouses, more than 1 million of them.

Jane Wilde died in poverty. Her children couldn’t afford to pay for a headstone. Her celebrated son, Oscar, never did erect a fitting monument to his brave and principled mother who was buried in common ground in London. Apparently, it was too much expense and trouble for the critically acclaimed, and eventually successful, author to show such respect…