Russian Sonia by Edgar Lee Masters — Read

I, born in Weimar / Of a mother who was French / And German father, a most learned professor, / Orphaned at fourteen years, / Became a dancer, known as Russian Sonia, / All up and down the boulevards of Paris, / Mistress betimes of sundry dukes and counts, / And later of poor artists and of poets.

At forty years, passé, I sought New York / And met old Patrick Hummer on the boat, / Red-faced and hale, though turned his sixtieth year, / Returning after having sold a ship-load / Of cattle in the German city, Hamburg.

He brought me to Spoon River and we lived here / For twenty years -- they thought that we were married!

This oak tree near me is the favorite haunt / Of blue jays chattering, chattering all the day.

And why not? for my very dust is laughing / For thinking of the humorous thing called life.