"This picture that you see, sir, on the wall Presents a lady wearing what we call A costume mid-Victorian. For years The baited objects of our jibes and jeers These great puffed sleeves and collars neatly pinned Beneath the chin! Sartorially they sinned! 'How could they wear such clothes!' my daughter said, And airily she tossed her saucy head This way and that as she emerged from chrysalis to butterfly -- 'Now @3I@1 like this!' And since that speech but scarce a year has passed -- Yes, sir, the lady on the wall? My mother. And standing near, in big puffed sleeves, that other, With quaint brooch at the throat? You must know her, You've seen her often here. My daughter, sir!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SAINT TERESA'S BOOK-MARK by THERESA OF AVILA THE RUNNER WITH THE LOTS by LEONIE ADAMS SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 18. A PORTRAIT by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) THE REGULAR STORY by BERTON BRALEY THE THIRD OF NOVEMBER, 1861 by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT |