Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE SUMMER GIRL, by BELLE RICHARDSON HARRISON



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SUMMER GIRL, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The summer girl doth now unfurl
Last Line: "the cow with the crumpled horn"
Subject(s): Beauty; Girls; Labor & Laborers; Seduction; Summer; Work; Workers


THE summer girl doth now unfurl
Her banners to the breeze,
Delsarte's chart and Ma'm'selle's Art
Have fashioned her to please.

Her jewels flash, she cuts a dash,
The women may condemn;
She little cares if she ensnares
The hearts of all the men.

The summer girl can deftly twirl
Her parasol or fan,
Can promenade in shine or shade,
Nor freckles fear nor tan.

The summer girl with hair a-curl,
With frills and furbelows,
With winning smiles and witching wiles
Will captivate the beaux.

They lightly whirl this summer girl,
Held in a close embrace,
Soft nothings say, then glide away
To give another place.

This summer girl with teeth of pearl,
This summer girl I sing,
Wears jewels rare—yet I declare,
Has no engagement ring!

Pourquoi?

There's been a crash and "papa's" cash,
And all his precious stock,
Slid with the bank and quickly sank,
It was a fearful shock

The winds blow keen—this quondam queen,
A summer girl no more—
Now hies her home no more to roam
Where billows lave the shore.

This summer girl without a curl,
"A maiden all forlorn,'
Is learning how to milk the cow,
"The cow with the crumpled horn"





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