Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MONKEY-TOURIST; FROM YRIARTE, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE Poet's Biography First Line: A monkey clad in cloth-of-gold Last Line: That men as well as monkeys make! Subject(s): Clothing & Dress; Monkeys | ||||||||
A MONKEY clad in cloth-of-gold (So in the proverb we are told) Will be a Monkey still. The aim Of this new fable is the same; Pray, listen while I tell in rhyme The tale how, once upon a time, A Monkey, drest in garments bright With gaudy colors such as might Become a Harlequin, set out -- To show her finery, no doubt -- Upon her travels. In what way, By ship or coach, I cannot say; 'T is only known her journey ran As far abroad as Tetuan: A country -- as I understand -- On maps set down as "Monkey-land"; And widely famous as the place Where most abound the simian race, And where, one scarcely needs to add, The chattering tribes are simply clad In their own skins, and know no more Of dress than Mother Eve, before She ate of the forbidden fruit, And donned, for shame, her fig-leaf suit. Here -- as the reader may suppose -- Our lady-tourist proudly shows, With many a change, her gay attire, Which all the natives much admire, And think the wearer must possess A mind as brilliant as her dress, And, thereupon, the stranger made Their leader in a coming raid For forage, in the country round, Where monkey-provender was found. Alas, the day! her clothing proved An obstacle where'er she moved; And when the weary day was done, Her gaudy garments, -- every one, -- That in the morning looked so fine, Were strewn in rags along the line Through which the expedition led; And she, worn out and nearly dead, At night was but the scoff and scorn Of those who hailed her "queen" at morn! MORAL. A thousand instances confess That judging people by their dress, As bright or brave, is a mistake That men as well as monkeys make! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MARMOZET by HILAIRE BELLOC THE BLACK MONKEY by KATHERINE MANSFIELD THE MONKEY STORY by VIRGIL SUAREZ AT WOODWARD'S GARDENS by ROBERT FROST THE SHIP OF RIO by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE SOLOMON AND THE MONKEYS by PATRICK REGINALD CHALMERS LINES TO A MONKEY by HENRY RUTGERS CONGER DEATH AND CUPID; AN ALLEGORY by JOHN GODFREY SAXE |
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