• Author: B., F. W.
• Editor: B-7413
• Newspaper: The Umpire volume 6
• Page Number:
• Date: 7 25 1917
• Tags:
• poetry

THE NIGHT-HAWK

Guard against the night-hawk, youth; Guard against her sprightly talk; Fear her witching, luring glances; 'Ware her eye that brightly dances, As a snake to hold and charm; View such eye with dread alarm; Fear her smiling, winning face; Fear her svelte, suggestive grace; Fear the neck that she exposes And the curves she thus discloses; Fear the accidental touch And the thrill that follows such; Fear the physical delight Comes with every luring sight; Fear the dance with such as she That will your undoing be; Fear this hawk inviting you Like the hawk she waits the cue. Many women hawks are waiting, Hooks of flesh are ever baiting, Women free from all restraining; Women with no fear remaining; Divorcees that know the game, Finding life is all too tame; Widows, eager to be living, To the froth of life ingiving; Lonely women everywhere; Women with no earthly care. These are night-hawks flying loose; Full of crafty, luring ruse; Watching for their easy prey; Noosing all who come their way. They will lure you, simple youth; They will pluck you without ruth; They will sink their talons deep While you sleep your guileless sleep; They will bleed you till you’re white; This they do with gay delight, Bleed your purse and bleed your health; Bleed away your soul by stealth; Bleed your character away, Till you shamed and naked stay. Shun them, then, these vicious hawks, Prowling in their nightly walks; Shunning day and honest light, Fear, oh, fear these hawks of night. —F. W. B. in Random Verse.