Elfen Pocketbook Poem by Alice Thompson (my aunt/my father’s sister)–recovered treasure from the sea of time

My father, in winter hybernating mode, is going through boxes of papers under his desk.

Pop writes: “Finding this long-lost piece of literature is the pay for digging into the past. I do not know how old Alice was when she wrote this, but she was married in 1943, at age 27. She signed it with her maiden name which I believe she did not do after her marriage. Alice had a lot of real talent, and was much more a true artist than I am. I salute her accomplishments and hope that they will be appreciated by those who read her works. Brother Erwin”

I always felt an affinity for my Aunt Alice because as a child whenever I went out into the sunshine, my father would comment how the sun brought out the copper highlights in my hair, just like my Aunt Alice. And, I was said to be like her in other ways. –JGR

A WOMAN’S POCKETBOOK (Purse)
by Alice Mathilda Thompson

Oh, did you ever chance to look
Within a woman’s pocketbook?

If not, I’ll take you there, myself,
Now, just pretend you are an elf.

With no regard for self or pride,
You find that you are squeezed inside.

When you are in, and look around,
You’ll never guess what you have found!

Of course there is a powder puff,
A tiny bit of dainty fluff.

There’s usually a rouge box, too —
Oh! How that thing is bumping you!

Here’s a comb for My Lady’s hair,
And a fingernail file for wise hand care

There’s a lipstick of brilliant hue,
And a multitude of hankies too.

There’s the last letter received from Joe,
One from another school-day beaux.

Here’s last week’s grocery list
Supplies without which we’d not exist.

Two things at the bottom, she’d thought she’d lost,
A pen and pencil of minor cost.

Here we find, too, a stamp for a letter;
The condition it’s in could be better —

Now you can’t say you ne’er did look
Inside a woman’s pocket book,

And since you’re a nimble elf,
You’ll have to hop out by yourself!