Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE BALL, 1789, by HENRY CUYLER BUNNER Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: The town is at the ball to-night Last Line: And they ran away together. Subject(s): Balls; Conventions; New York City; Assemblies; Meetings; Manhattan; New York, New York; The Big Apple | ||||||||
The Town is at the Ball to-night, The Town is at the Ball; From the Battery to Hickory Lane The Beaux come one and all. The French folk up along the Sound Took carriage for the city, And Madge the Belle, from New Rochelle, Will stop with Lady Kitty. And if the Beaux could have their way Their choice would be, in Brief, That Madge the Bell should lead the Ball And open with THE CHIEF. Though Lady Kitty's high estate May give this choice some reason, By Right Divine Madge holds the place The Toast of all the Season. Behold her as she trips the floor By Lady Kitty's side How low bows Merit at her glance, And Valour, true and tried! Each hand that late the sword-hilt grasped Would fain her hand be pressing But, ah! fair Madge, who'll wear your badge Is past all wooer's guessing. The Colonel bows his powdered head Well-nigh unto her feet; Fame's Trump rings dull unto his ears, That wait her Accents sweet. The young Leftenant, Trig and Trim, Who lately won his spurs, Casts love-sick glances in her way, And wins no glance of hers. Before her bows the Admiral, Whose head was never bowed Before the foamy-crested wave That wet the straining shroud. And all his pretty midshipmen They stand there in a line, Saluting this Fair Craft that sails With no surrendering sign. And so she trips across the floor On Lady Kitty's arm, And grizzled pates and frizzled pates All bow before her charm. And she will dance the minuet, A-facing Lady Kitty, Nor miss THE CHIEFshe hath, in brief, Her choice of all the city. But in the minuet a hand Shall touch her finger-tips, And almost to a Kiss shall turn The Smile upon her lips; And he is but a midship boy, And she is Madge the Belle; But never to Chief nor to Admiral Such a tale her lips shall tell. The Town is at the Ball to-night, The Town is at the Ball, And the Town shall talk as never before Ere another night shall fall; And men shall rave in Rector street, And men shall swear in Pine, And hearts shall break for Madge's sake From Bay to City Line. And Lady Kit shall wring her hands, And write the tale to tell (To that much dreaded Maiden Aunt Who lives at New Rochelle) All of a gallant Midshipman Who wooed in April weather The Fairest of All at the Chieftain's Ball And they ran away together. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...READY FOR THE CANNERY by BERTON BRALEY TRANTER IN AMERICA by AUGUST KLEINZAHLER MEETING YOU AT THE PIERS by KENNETH KOCH FEBRUARY EVENING IN NEW YORK by DENISE LEVERTOV ON 52ND STREET by PHILIP LEVINE THREE POEMS FOR NEW YORK by JOSEPHINE MILES NEW YORK SUBWAY by HILDA MORLEY THE CHAPERON by HENRY CUYLER BUNNER |
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