The Beginning of the Armadilloes

Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)



I've never sailed the Amazon,
I've never reached Brazil;
But the Don and Magdalena,
They can go there when they will!

Yes, weekly from Southampton
Great steamers, white and gold,
Go rolling down to Rio
(Roll down--roll down to Rio!).
And I'd like to roll to Rio
Some day before I'm old!

I've never seen a Jaguar,
Nor yet an Armadill--
He's dilloing in his armour,
And I s'pose I never will,

Unless I go to Rio
These wonders to behold--
Roll down--roll down to Rio--
Roll really down to Rio!
Oh, I'd love to roll to Rio
Some day before I'm old!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 30, 2023

34 sec read
165

Quick analysis:

Scheme xaxa xbcCcB xaxa cbCccB
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 532
Words 106
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 6, 4, 6

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist chiefly remembered for his tales and poems of British soldiers in India and his tales for children. more…

All Rudyard Kipling poems | Rudyard Kipling Books

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