| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 274. A Dancing Girl |
| | | By Frances Sargent Osgood |
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| SHE comes—the spirit of the dance! | |
| And but for those large, eloquent eyes, | |
| Where passion speaks in every glance, | |
| She ’d seem a wanderer from the skies. | |
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| So light that, gazing breathless there, | 5 |
| Lest the celestial dream should go, | |
| You ’d think the music in the air | |
| Waved the fair vision to and fro! | |
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| Or that the melody’s sweet flow | |
| Within the radiant creature played, | 10 |
| And those soft wreathing arms of snow | |
| And white sylph feet the music made. | |
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| Now gliding slow with dreamy grace, | |
| Her eyes beneath their lashes lost, | |
| Now motionless, with lifted face, | 15 |
| And small hands on her bosom crossed. | |
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| And now with flashing eyes she springs,— | |
| Her whole bright figure raised in air, | |
| As if her soul had spread its wings | |
| And poised her one wild instant there! | 20 |
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| She spoke not; but, so richly fraught | |
| With language are her glance and smile, | |
| That, when the curtain fell, I thought | |
| She had been talking all the while. | |
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