Behind Her Fan
Behind her fan of downy fluff,
Sewed on soft saffron satin stuff,
With peacock feathers, purple-eyed,
Caught daintily on either side,
The gay coquette displays a puff:
Two blue eyes peep above the buff:
Two pinky pouting lips... enough!
That cough means surely come and hide
Behind her fan.
The barque of Hope is trim and tough,
So out I venture on the rough,
Uncertain sea of girlish pride.
A breeze! I tack against the tide,-
Capture a kiss and catch a cuff,-
Behind her fan.
Frank Dempster Sherman.