Womanly Qualms

When I go rowing on the lake,
   I long to be a man;
I’ll give my Sunday frock to have
   A callous heart like Dan.

I love the ripple of the waves
   When gliding o’er the deep,
But when I see the cruel ours,
   I close my eyes and weep;

For there are cat-fish in our lake,
   And I am filled with dread,
Lest Don should strike a ****-fish
   Upon its tender head.

How would you like it if, some day
   An air-ship passing by,
Should flap its cruel, thoughtless oars
   And knock you in the eye?

My life would be one long regret
   If, for my pleasure vain,
I caused a harmless little fish
   An hour of needless pain.

And if Dan’s heavy oars should cause
   One little fish to die,
I’d never, never dare to look
   Smoked herring in the eye!

Ellis Parker Butler