Can't Be Called



It can't be called a centipede if it has no feet.
It can't be called a sugar pie if it isn't sweet.
It can't be called a porcupine if it has no prick.
It can't be called a miracle if it is a trick.
It can't be called a mosquito if it doesn't bite.
It can't be called a jet aircraft if it is a kite.
It can't be called a crocodile if it has no jaws.
It can't be called a giftless eve if there's Santa Clause.
It can't be called an elephant if it has no trunk.
It can't be called a treasure trove if it's worthless junk.
It can't be called a cockatoo if it has no voice.
It can't be called a bumper-car if it's a Rolls Royce.
It can't be called a bumblebee if it has no sting.
It can't be called a silver bell if it doesn't ring.
It can't be called a moccasin if it doesn't swim.
It can't be called a litany if it's not a hymn.
It can't be called a kangaroo if it doesn't jump.
It can't be called a citadel if it's just a dump.
It can't be called an albatross if it doesn't fly.
It can't be called cerulean sea if there's no blue sky.
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Submitted on February 05, 2010

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:14 min read
1

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 1,013
Words 217
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 20

Wallace Dean LaBenne

Professor, therapist, author and poet. more…

All Wallace Dean LaBenne poems | Wallace Dean LaBenne Books

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