Page:Poems Sigourney, 1834.pdf/94

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gave cards for a party at tea, To flowers, buds and blossoms of every degree; So from town and from country they thronged at the call, And strove by their charms to embellish the hall. First came the exotics, with ornaments rare, The tall Miss Corcoris, and Cyclamen fair, Auricula, splendid with jewels new set, And gay Polyanthus, the pretty coquette. The Tulips came flounting in gaudy array, With Hyacinths bright as the eye of the day; Dandy Coxcombs and Daffodils, rich and polite, With their dazzling new vests and their corsets laced tight, While the Soldiers in Green, cavalierly attired, Were all by the ladies extremely admired. But prudish Miss Lily, with bosom of snow, Declared that "the officers stared at her so, 'Twas excessively rude," so retired in a fright, And scarce paused to bid Lady Flora good night. There were Myrtles and Roses from garden and plain, And Venus's Fly-trap they brought in their train; So the beaux clustered round them, they scarcely knew why, At each smile of the lip, or each glance of the eye. Madame Damask complained of her household and care, How she seldom went out even to breathe the fresh air; There were so many young ones and servants to stray, And the thorns grew so fast if her eye was away: "Neighbour Moss Rose," said she, "you who live like a queen, And scarce wet your fingers, do'nt know what I mean:"