THE man of his word met a maid on the beach, <br />I The fine art of swimming he offered to teach <br />If she 'd go with him in the water so blue. <br />She sighed and said: ' Mister, if I go with you, <br />You must promise me faithfully here on the sands <br />That you won't splash the water at me with your hands; <br />You must honestly, solemnly vow and declare <br />That whatever you do you will not wet my hair.' <br /> <br />So the man of his word, who had offered to teach <br />The gay little, sweet little maid on the beach, <br />Took an oath that he wouldn't splash water on her, <br />Or let any total immersion occur. <br />And the sweet little maid started gayly with him <br />To be taught how to float and be taught how to swim; <br />And the man of his word kept the vows that he swore, <br />He never once dampened the hair that she wore. <br /> <br />Alas, and alack! for the man of his word, <br />Next day came another who vowed and averred <br />That he wouldn't splash her or douse her, not he, <br />If she 'd only venture with him in the sea, <br />Which she did; but out there he forgot every oath, <br />For he doused her and splashed her, yes sir, he did both. <br />But did she rare up in her anger? Not she — <br />Every morning you'll find her with him in the sea, <br />While the man of his word sits alone on the beach, <br />And the bold, faithless wretch soon will marry the peach.<br /><br />Edgar Albert Guest<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-man-of-his-word/
