Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, JEREMIAD ON DANCING, by P. C. CALHOUN



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

JEREMIAD ON DANCING, by                    
First Line: Every night when I hitch the elastic
Last Line: Why do I like it? I wonder!
Subject(s): Dancing & Dancers


Every night when I hitch the elastic
Which fastens my vest to my pants,
I agree with the viewpoint monastic:
It's a silly amusement to dance,
To handle a gun or a lance --
There's a man's job; but dancing -- aw, thunder!
(Or la! la! as spoken in France)
Why do I like it, I wonder?

Aside from the somewhat fantastic
Idea some persons advance,
That the fox-trot and waltz are gymnastic,
It's a silly amusement to dance,
One trips over young debutantes --
(The evening's one vast social blunder),
Or stumbles around with one's aunts;
Why do I like it, I wonder?

Am I mistakenly drastic?
Am I as one who but rants,
Knowing nothing? Or am I just plastic?
It's a silly amusement to dance,
That's sure . . . (Hark! The waltz from "Penzance"!
Or is it "Get Out and Get Under"?
Anyway, it's a strange dissonance --
Why do I like it, I wonder?)

L'Envoi

Say, kid! Come on -- take a chance!
(It's a silly amusement to dance,
But I can't have her think that I shunned her.)
Why do I like it? I wonder!





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