I cannot dance upon my toes,
No man instructed me,
But often times among my mind
A glee possesseth me
That had I ballet knowledge
Would put itself abroad
In pirouette to blanch a troupe,
Or lay a Prima mad!
And though I had no gown of gauze,
No ringlet to my hair,
Nor hopped for audiences like birds,
One claw upon the air,—
Nor tossed my shape in
Eider balls,
Nor rolled on wheels of snow
Till I was out of sight in sound,
The house encored me so—
Nor any knew I know the art
I mention easy here—
Nor any placard boast me,
It ‘s full as opera!