Mrs. Puddlegumby

Abigail Boberg, a  ten-year-old girl in Quebec City, writes. She wrote this poem last week in less than an hour after viewing Claude Monet's "Mme. Louis Joachim Gaudibert" (1868)

Mrs. Puddlegumby

I was called over to a house one day
To paint a portrait of a lady who,
As you may recall, wears her hair up in
A knot, that curls into a chocolate brown
Bun. She called me “dear sir” and rustled her
Pea-green skirt wherever she walked that day.
Her silly actions almost made me laugh
But rich folks are like that I guess
Never have a bit of sense in their heads.
They stick their noses high into the air
And act as if you’re not there, yes they do!
Well, Mrs. Puddlegumby struck a pose,
She tossed her curls and shook her head and laughed.
But quickly I painted a saucy view
Her nose turned up in great disdain, I did.
A haughty look inside her big black eyes.
Her skirts flung out onto the carpet rug.
Ha! How displeased that silly lady was.
With shake of head and pointing at the door
She showed me out and paid me not a cent.
Outside I laughed until my throat was sore.
She never called for me to come again.
I fear she saw me laughing for I heard
A noise and turned and saw the curtain move.
I shall never forget that funny girl
Who had the name of Mrs. Puddlegumby.