FORGOTTEN VERSE

The Plaint of the Camel
by Charles Edward Carryl


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 inclosed 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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