| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22. | | | | Envyings | | By Katherine Wisner McCluskey |
| | I WHEN I am warmly bathed, | |
| And rubbed a rosy-red, | |
| Cold-creamed to sleek and sweet, | |
| Brushed, braided, gone to bed; | |
| With soft sheets, cool, | 5 |
| And soft warm wool, | |
| Gentle and kind like fur, | |
| I wish that I could purr! | |
| It seems a gracious thing to do— | |
| Expressive, exquisite “Thank you”— | 10 |
| Thrilling the body through and through! | |
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II As one grows old, | |
| And understands much folly, | |
| Especially the joke of being wise; | |
| And all things are revealed | 15 |
| In humorous melancholy, | |
| To seeing and discerning eyes: | |
| There is desire to flap the wings | |
| And toot | |
| A cynical and mocking, bleak | 20 |
| “Hoot! Hoot!” | |
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III I wish that I could murmur in my throat | |
| With a rich, gurgling, deep-contented note, | |
| Like the pigeon-coo! | |
| That yodling, colorful tune, | 25 |
| Of burnished tone, warmer than words can say, | |
| Might tell the way | |
| I feel when loved by you! | | | | |
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