by Louis Untermeyer (1885 - 1977)
Matinée
Language: English
The poet stood reciting Examples of his art, Considering removing The veils about his heart. Eager and self-revealing, He did his stripping well, With every burning poem Another garment fell. With passionate abandon He flung each cloth away; Exulting in the pleasure Of noble self-display. Until upon the platform Were piled his draperies. And still the poet gestured, Naked and quite at ease. And no one screamed or fainted; There was no stir or start. The ladies all applauded At such a show of art.
First published in The Dial, volume 68, 1920
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Authorship:
- by Louis Untermeyer (1885 - 1977), "Matinée" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Matinée", 2008 [high voice and piano], from Two Poems of Louis Untermeyer, no. 2 [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-03-06
Line count: 20
Word count: 85