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.