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James Whitcomb Riley - Billy`s Alphabetical Animal Show
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A was an elegant Ape
  Who tied up his ears with red tape,
    And wore a long veil
    Half revealing his tail
  Which was trimmed with jet bugles and crape.

  B was a boastful old Bear
  Who used to say,--"Hoomh! I declare
    I can eat--if you`ll get me
    The children, and let me--
  Ten babies, teeth, toenails and hair!"

  C was a Codfish who sighed
  When snatched from the home of his pride,
    But could he, embrined,
    Guess this fragrance behind,
  How glad he would be that he died!

  D was a dandified Dog
  Who said,--"Though it`s raining like fog
    I wear no umbrellah,
    Me boy, for a fellah
  Might just as well travel incog!"

  E was an elderly Eel
  Who would say,--"Well, I really feel--
    As my grandchildren wriggle
    And shout `I should giggle`--
  A trifle run down at the heel!"

  F was a Fowl who conceded
  _Some_ hens might hatch more eggs than _she_ did,--
    But she`d children as plenty
    As eighteen or twenty,
  And that was quite all that she needed.

  G was a gluttonous Goat
  Who, dining one day, _table-d`hote,_
    Ordered soup-bone, _au fait_,
    And fish, _papier-mache_,
  And a _filet_ of Spring overcoat.

  H was a high-cultured Hound
  Who could clear forty feet at a bound,
    And a coon once averred
    That his howl could be heard
  For five miles and three-quarters around.

  I was an Ibex ambitious
  To dive over chasms auspicious;
    He would leap down a peak
    And not light for a week,
  And swear that the jump was delicious.

  J was a Jackass who said
  He had such a bad cold in his head,
    If it wasn`t for leaving
    The rest of us grieving,
  He`d really rather be dead.

  K was a profligate Kite
  Who would haunt the saloons every night;
    And often he ust
    To reel back to his roost
  Too full to set up on it right.

  L was a wary old Lynx
  Who would say,--"Do you know wot I thinks?--
    I thinks ef you happen
    To ketch me a-nappin`
  I`m ready to set up the drinks!"

  M was a merry old Mole,
  Who would snooze all the day in his hole,
    Then--all night, a-rootin`
    Around and galootin`--
  He`d sing "Johnny, Fill up the Bowl!"

  N was a caustical Nautilus
  Who sneered, "I suppose, when they`ve _caught_ all us,
    Like oysters they`ll serve us,
    And can us, preserve us,
  And barrel, and pickle, and bottle us!"

  O was an autocrat Owl--
  Such a wise--such a wonderful fowl!
    Why, for all the night through
    He would hoot and hoo-hoo,
  And hoot and hoo-hooter and howl!

  P was a Pelican pet,
  Who gobbled up all he could get;
    He could eat on until
    He was full to the bill,
  And there he had lodgings to let!

  Q was a querulous Quail,
  Who said: "It will little avail
    The efforts of those
    Of my foes who propose
  To attempt to put salt on my tail!"

  R was a ring-tailed Raccoon,
  With eyes of the tinge of the moon,
    And his nose a blue-black,
    And the fur on his back
  A sad sort of sallow maroon.

  S is a Sculpin--you`ll wish
  Very much to have one on your dish,
    Since all his bones grow
    On the outside, and so
  He`s a very desirable fish.

  T was a Turtle, of wealth,
  Who went round with particular stealth,--
    "Why," said he, "I`m afraid
    Of being waylaid
  When I even walk out for my health!"

  U was a Unicorn curious,
  With one horn, of a growth so _luxurious_,
    He could level and stab it--
    If you didn`t grab it--
  Clean through you, he was so blamed furious!

  V was a vagabond Vulture
  Who said: "I don`t want to insult yer,
    But when you intrude
    Where in lone solitude
  I`m a-preyin`, you`re no man o` culture!"

  W was a wild _Wood_chuck,
  And you can just bet that he _could_ "chuck"
    He`d eat raw potatoes,
    Green corn, and tomatoes,
  And tree roots, and call it all "_good_ chuck!"

  X was a kind of X-cuse
  Of a some-sort-o`-thing that got loose
    Before we could name it,
    And cage it, and tame it,
  And bring it in general use.

  Y is the Yellowbird,--bright
  As a petrified lump of star-light,
    Or a handful of lightning-
    Bugs, squeezed in the tight`ning
  Pink fist of a boy, at night.

  Z is the Zebra, of course!--
  A kind of a clown-of-a-horse,--
    Each other despising,
    Yet neither devising
  A way to obtain a divorce!

  & here is the famous--what-is-it?
  Walk up, Master Billy, and quiz it:
    You`ve seen the _rest_ of `em--
    Ain`t this the _best_ of `em,
  Right at the end of your visit?
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