THE DANCE ON THE BEACH
A star-fish stood on the sandy shore
To list to the seaside band.
As with rumble-tumble dash and roar
The waves swept over the land.
The man in the moon from his binnacle soon
Suspended the beacon-light.
“Aha!” cried the star-fish, full of glee,
“I’ll have a nice dance to-night!”
A jig and a hornpipe all alone
He danced to a lively tune.
And capered about with his shadow there
In the silvery light of the moon.
Then up came others by twos and twos,
Some of them real old salts.
Who danced the Polka, Virginia Reel,
And the new Society Waltz.
With twinkling feet they skipped about
Like elves on the shining sand,
And kept good time to the rhyme and chime
Of the famous seaside band.
They danced and capered, and skipped and tripped.
As merry as they could be,
Till the tide came up with a sudden rush
And swept them into the sea.