January 20, 2011

Millicent Moves / Arsenic and Old Faces

Little Milly Mundy
Was the one who trailed behind
With teeny steps, away she'd fret
In her hurried little mind.

A crisp and gentle morning
She'd round up the other maids
A venture out, just round about
In coat and boots of suede

Minute Milly Mundy
Loved out walking to and fro
The swish and flail of her petticoat tail
Left no markings in the snow.

Her breath released no vapour
As she coldly marched along
Although she'd shout, her heart all-out
They still would hurry on

Itsy Millie Mundy
Caught up with the girls in time
Where they'd lay a bloom, with sweet perfume
On the pave with gentle rhyme

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Arsenic and Old Faces.....

They whooped it up most evenings
Took laudanum and ale
Their dome-like dresses drawn in tight
By baleens of a whale

In gaslight they embraced the streets
Inflicted, hardened faces
With porous noses throbbing
Such feminine disgraces

Preached and thumped the Bible
Though regardless to The Word
Would slug you if the slightest
 Epithet was ever heard.

They smelled of parma violets
More sudorific under clothes
Entertained a gentleman
For just one whiskey rose.

Meddlesome and nippy
The morals of a rat
Would smile and dip your pockets
As you politely tilt your hat

Oh, what a clever trio
Victory set apart
Arsenic, lace, and wrinkly face
Experts of their art  

11 comments:

KMShear said...

I enjoyed this. The pentameter felt a bit off here or there, but overall it's a great piece! I only wish I could hear it read aloud so I could figure out where I was reading off time.

Helena said...

Sadly, you got the hurried draft version. I posted it without proofreading! It's a bit better now but it's nice to know that there's gentlemen out there keeping an eye on your pentameters....!

Maggie said...

Oh, I love this. : )

Fragrant Liar said...

Oh, I like it! Sort of a paranormal Magpie of Li'l Milly Mundy.

Strummed Words said...

Very nice rhyming quatrains. Though I'm not in Scotland,the three women made me think of Macbeth at first!

Oddyoddyo13 said...

I loved the gentleness of this...the sweetness...the innocence. The kind of poem you walk away from with this smile that came for no reason and won't leave anytime soon.

Berowne said...

Good rhyming scheme, good metre.

Stafford Ray said...

Poor little Millicent who shrinks in the lenth of each stanza until she is no longer there! I feel a bit like that sometimes... and Arsenic! Well, as usual, playful well written poetry but I'm not sure I would like your friends!

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

Wow, impressive. I know nothing of stanza's or pentameters but these were jolly good. Thanks, very enjoyable.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

fun piece.

Reflections said...

Interesting mystique to Arsenic... loved them... love the 'swish and flail of her petticoat tail Left no markings in the snow... great line, like the internal rhyme there.