 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
68
THE COQUETTE.
A PORTRAIT.
“You're clever at drawing, I own,”
Said my beautiful cousin Lisette,
As we sat by the window alone,
“But say, can you paint a Coquette?”
Said my beautiful cousin Lisette,
As we sat by the window alone,
“But say, can you paint a Coquette?”
“She 's painted already,” quoth I;
“Nay, nay!” said the laughing Lisette,
“Now none of your joking,—but try
And paint me a thorough Coquette.”
“Nay, nay!” said the laughing Lisette,
“Now none of your joking,—but try
And paint me a thorough Coquette.”
“Well, cousin,” at once I began
In the ear of the eager Lisette,
“I'll paint you as well as I can
That wonderful thing, a Coquette.
In the ear of the eager Lisette,
“I'll paint you as well as I can
That wonderful thing, a Coquette.
“She wears a most beautiful face”
(“Of course!” said the pretty Lisette),
“And is n't deficient in grace,
Or else she were not a Coquette.
(“Of course!” said the pretty Lisette),
“And is n't deficient in grace,
Or else she were not a Coquette.
“And then she is daintily made”
(A smile from the dainty Lisette),
“By people expert in the trade
Of forming a proper Coquette.
(A smile from the dainty Lisette),
“By people expert in the trade
Of forming a proper Coquette.
“She 's the winningest ways with the beaux”
(“Go on!”—said the winning Lisette),
“But there is n't a man of them knows
The mind of the fickle Coquette!
(“Go on!”—said the winning Lisette),
“But there is n't a man of them knows
The mind of the fickle Coquette!
“She knows how to weep and to sigh”
(A sigh from the tender Lisette),
“But her weeping is all in my eye,—
Not that of the cunning Coquette!
(A sigh from the tender Lisette),
“But her weeping is all in my eye,—
Not that of the cunning Coquette!
“In short, she 's a creature of art”
(“Oh hush!” said the frowning Lisette),
“With merely the ghost of a heart,—
Enough for a thorough Coquette.
(“Oh hush!” said the frowning Lisette),
“With merely the ghost of a heart,—
Enough for a thorough Coquette.
“And yet I could easily prove”
(“Now don't!” said the angry Lisette),
“The lady is always in love,—
In love with herself,—the Coquette!
(“Now don't!” said the angry Lisette),
“The lady is always in love,—
In love with herself,—the Coquette!
“There,—do not be angry!—you know,
My dear little cousin Lisette,
You told me a moment ago
To paint you—a thorough Coquette!”
My dear little cousin Lisette,
You told me a moment ago
To paint you—a thorough Coquette!”
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |