Bird of Paradise

Here comes Kate Summers who, for gold,

Takes any man to bed;

“You knew my friend, Nell Barnes,” said she;

“You knew Nell Barnes—she’s dead.

“Nell Barnes was bad on all you men,

Unclean, a thief as well;

Yet all my life I have not found

A better friend than Nell.

“So I sat at her side at last,

For hours, till she was dead;

And yet she had no sense at all

Of any word I said.

“For all her cry but came to this—

‘Not for the world! Take care:

Don’t touch that bird of paradise,

Perched on the bed-post there!’