30 JANUARY 1926, Page 19

POETRY

WOMAN AND PROFESSOR

HE stood and pointed with scorn at a Bond Street window,

A quaint, dry figure in that delectable place.

"All this finery," he said, "all these fripperies, all these

gewgaws—

Isn't it a disgrace That a woman should spend money as if it were water To deck her body and her face ? "

"And yet," I said, "but for some pre-historic creature Adjusting the folds of her garment with purposeful cans Or spending long hours twisting this way and that way The strands of her hair, Possibly neither great London, nor you, friend Professor,