Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BILLY'S ALPHABETICAL ANIMAL SHOW, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BILLY'S ALPHABETICAL ANIMAL SHOW, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: A was an elegant ape
Last Line: Right at the end of your visit?
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Animals; Circus


A WAS an elegant Ape
Who tied up his ears with red tape,
And wore a long veil
Half revealing his tail
Which was trimmed with jet bugles and crape.

B was a boastful old Bear
Who used to say, -- "Hoomh! I declare
I can eat -- if you'll get me
The children, and let me --
Ten babies, teeth, toe-nails and hair!"

C was a Codfish who sighed
When snatched from the home of his pride,
But could he, embrined,
Guess this fragrance behind,
How glad he would be to have died!

D was a dandified Dog
Who said, -- "Though it's raining like fog
I wear no umbrellah,
Me boy, for a fellah
Might just as well travel incog!"

E was an elderly Eel
Who would say, -- "Well, I really feel --
As my grandchildren wriggle
And shout 'I should giggle' --
A trifle run down at the heel!"

F was a Fowl who conceded
Some hens might hatch more eggs than she did, --
But she'd children as plenty
As eighteen or twenty,
And that was quite all that she needed.

G was a gluttonous Goat
Who, dining one day, table d' hote,
Ordered soup-bone, au fait,
And fish, papier-mache,
And a filet of Spring overcoat.

H was a high-cultured Hound
Who could clear forty feet at a bound,
And a coon once averred
That his howl could be heard
For five miles and three-quarters around.

I was an Ibex ambitious
To dive over chasms auspicious;
He would leap down a peak
And not light for a week,
And swear that the jump was delicious.

J was a Jackass who said
He had such a bad cold in his head,
If it wasn't for leaving
The rest of us grieving,
He'd really rather be dead.

K was a profligate Kite
Who would haunt the saloons every night;
And often he ust
To reel back to his roost
Too full to set up on it right.

L was a wary old Lynx
Who would say, -- "Do you know wot I thinks? --
I thinks ef you happen
To ketch me a-nappin'
I'm ready to set up the drinks!"

M was a merry old Mole,
Who would snooze all day in his hole,
Then -- all night, a-rootin'
Around and galootin' --
He'd sing "Johnny, Fill up the Bowl!"

N was a caustical Nautilus
Who sneered, "I suppose, when they've caught all us,
Like oysters they'll serve us,
And can us, preserve us,
And barrel, and pickle, and bottle us!"

O was an autocrat Owl --
Such a wise -- such a wonderful fowl!
Why, for all the night through
He would hoot and hoo-hoo,
And hoot and hoo-hooter and howl!

P was a Pelican pet,
Who gobbled up all he could get;
He could eat on until
He was full to the bill,
And there he had lodgings to let!

Q was a querulous Quail
Who said: "It will little avail
The efforts of those
Of my foes who propose
To attempt to put salt on my tail!"

R was a ring-tailed Raccoon,
With eyes of the tinge of the moon,
And his nose a blue-black,
And the fur on his back
A sad sort of sallow maroon.

S is a Sculpin -- you'll wish
Very much to have one on your dish,
Since all his bones grow
On the outside, and so
He's a very desirable fish.

T was a Turtle, of wealth,
Who went round with particular stealth,
"Why," said he, "I'm afraid
Of being waylaid
When I even walk out for my health!"

U was a Unicorn curious,
With one horn, of a growth so luxurious,
He could level and stab it --
If you didn't grab it --
Clean through you, he was so blamed furious!

V was a vagabond Vulture
Who said: "I don't want to insult yer,
But when you intrude
Where in lone solitude
I'm a-preyin', you're no man o' culture!"

W was a wild Woodchuck,
And you just bet that he could "chuck" --
He'd eat raw potatoes,
Green corn, and tomatoes,
And tree roots, and call it all "good chuck!"

X was a kind of X-cuse
Of some-sort-o'-thing that got loose
Before we could name it,
And cage it, and tame it,
And bring it in general use.

Y is a Yellowbird, -- bright
As a petrified lump of starlight,
Or a handful of lightning-Bugs, squeezed in the tight'ning
Pink fist of a boy, at night.

Z is the Zebra, of course! --
A kind of a clown-of-a-horse, --
Each other despising,
Yet neither devising
A way to obtain a divorce!

& here is the famous -- what-is-it?
Walk up, Master Billy, and quiz it:
You've seen the rest of 'em --
Ain't this the best of 'em,
Right at the end of your visit?





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