The Plaint Of The Camel

Charles Edward Carryl 1841 (New York) – 1920



Canary-Birds feed on sugar and seed,
Parrots have crackers to crunch:
And, as for the poodles, they tell me the noodles
Have chickens and cream for their lunch.
But there's never a question
About MY digestion—
Anything does for me!

'Cats, you're aware, can repose in a chair,
Chickens can roost upon rails;
Puppies are able to sleep in a stable,
And oysters can slumber in pails.
But no one supposes
A poor Camel dozes—
Any place does for me!

'Lambs are enclosed where it's never exposed,
Coops are constructed for hens:
Kittens are treated to houses well heated,
And pigs are protected by pens.
But a Camel comes handy
Wherever it's sandy—
Anywhere does for me!

'People would laugh if you rode a giraffe,
Or mounted the back of an ox;
It's nobody's habit to ride on a rabbit,
Or try to bestraddle a fox.
But as for a Camel, he's
Ridden by families—
Any load does for me!

'A snake is as round as a hole in the ground,
And weasels are wavy and sleek;
And no alligator could ever be straighter
Than lizards that live in a creek,
But a Camel's all lumpy
And bumpy and humpy—
Any shape does for me!'

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 02, 2023

1:04 min read
187

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXABBC XDXDEEC XFXFCCC XGXGHHC XIXICXC
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,079
Words 208
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 7, 7, 7, 7, 7

Charles Edward Carryl

Charles Edward Caryl was an American children's literature author. more…

All Charles Edward Carryl poems | Charles Edward Carryl Books

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