The Phantom Ball, by Ella Wheeler Wilcox: The Kingdom of Love 1910 you remember the hall on the corner to-night aa i walked down street i heard the sound of music and the rhythmic beat and beat beat beat in time to the pulsing measure of lightly tripping feet [transition] i turned and entered the doorway it was years since i had been there ywara and life seemed altered pleasure had changed to care but again i was hearing the music and watching the dancers fair. and then as i stood and listened the music lost its glee and instead of the merry waltzers there were ghosts of the used to be ghosts of the pleasure seekers who once danced with me [instrumental] a ghastly picture gruesome crowd each baring skulls on their shoulders each trailing a long white shroud as they whirled in the dance together and the music shrieked aloud they danced and their bones rattled like shutters in a blast staring from eyeless sockets on me as they circled past music kept them whirling was a funeral dirge played fast. [melodic interlude] beauty strength and manhood and this was the end of it all nothing but phantoms whirling in a ghastly skeleton ball but the music ceased. and they vanished [pause] [breath] and i came away from the hall.
