The Waltz

The Waltz

To music's sweet measure in couples they whirl,
Tattooing the floor as they circle and curl;
The toes of the ladies go tippity-tip,
The heels of the gentlemen rippity-rip,

All making a Babel of noise by their jumps,
Like hoppity, skippity, thumpity thumps:
Coat-skirts against dresses go flippity-flap,
Then huggity, tuggity, rubbity-rap!

Thus mated together, strange murmurs arise,
Discordant of music, of whisprs and sighs;
For masculine fingers, with nervous unrest;
Quite close to the heart of the maiden are pressed,

Imperial waltz! from the land of the Rhine,
Where music is hallowed by temple and shrine,
In public embraces thy votaries meet,
Fantastical nymph of the muse-tripping feet.

To thee the swift graces of motion belong,
Terpsichoreau queen of the fiddle and song;
For bountiful bosoms and liberal hands
Are ready and willing to meet thy demands.

No marvel it is that conventional rules
Wear off their reserve in our fashionable schools,
Where men are seen hanging, with faces of hair,
To female baloons all inflated with air.

Ah! well may the moralist trumpet his calls
For speedy reform of the dancing at balls,
Where over exertions, like pressure of steam,
Endanger the button and threaten the seam.

When cracking of hoops and collision of knees
Are varied by sighing reports of a squeeze,
All forming together a ludicrous sound,
Like snappity, rappity, hobbity-round!

Away they go whirling in twitter and twirl,
The stranger's embrace round the innocent girl,
So close that she feels his warm breath on her cheeks,
Where the semblance of roses her purity speaks.

On faster and dizzily faster they fly,
With a murmuring tone and a tremulous sigh,
Till down upon seats they both staggering fall,
Quite drunk with a waltz at a temperance ball!

Unattributed

1:40, p. 1

4.21.1860