A Strange Wild Song
by Lewis Carroll
(In public domain)
(Last ten verses by Michael Charters)
 


He thought he saw an Elephant
That practised on a fife:
He looked again, and found it was
A letter from his wife.
"At length I realize," he said,
"The bitterness of life!"
 

  He thought he saw a Buffalo
Upon the chimney-piece:
He looked again, and found it was
His Sister's Husband's Niece.
"Unless you leave this house," he said,
"I'll send for the police!"

He thought he saw a Rattlesnake
That questioned him in Greek:
He looked again, and found it was
The Middle of Next Week.
"The one thing I regret," he said,
"Is that it cannot speak!"
 

  He thought he saw a Banker's Clerk
Descending from the bus:
He looked again, and found it was
A Hippopotamus.
"If this should stay to dine," he said,
"There won't be much for us!"

He thought he saw a Kangaroo
That worked a Coffee-mill:
He looked again, and found it was
A Vegetable-Pill.
"Were I to swallow this," he said,
"I should be very ill!"
 

  He thought he saw a Coach-and-Four
That stood beside his bed:
He looked again, and found it was
A Bear without a Head.
"Poor thing," he said, "poor silly thing!"
“It's waiting to be fed!"

He thought he saw a Tall Oak Tree
That rustled in a Breeze:
He looked again and found it was
A Badger on its knees.
“Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear!” he said,
"I really must not sneeze."
 

  He thought he saw a Pamplemousse
Cut all in wedges fine:
He looked again and found it was
A Haddock soaked in wine.
Eight eyes peered in the window then,
Or possibly nine.

He thought he saw a Bumblebee
With stripes all down its back:
He looked again and found it was
A Pie upon a Rack.
"I wish with all my heart," he said,
"My toenails were not black."
 

  He thought he saw a Barbershop
Filled all with Men in Tweed:
He looked again and found it was
A veritable Weed.
"But tales and gloomy songs," he said,
"I do not think I need."

He thought he saw a Thunderstorm
That raged all Day and Night:
He looked again and found it was
The Moon's soft lustrous light.
“Oh my!” he said, “with tears of joy,
"It's such a splendid sight.”
 

  He thought he saw a Hummingbird
With wings of beaten gold:
He looked again and found it was
A Bathtub full of mold.
“Come join me on the porch,” he said,
“It’s not so very cold.”


He thought he saw a Lumberjack
Who wore a white felt hat:
He looked again and found it was
A metal Cricket Bat.
“Oh pooh,” he said, without a pause,
“I would have liked to chat.”

 

  He thought a saw a Harpsichord
With tones so pure and sweet:
He looked again and found it was
A dusty kitchen seat.
He rubbed his head in mild surprise.
“That’s very hard to beat.”


He thought he saw a Waterfall
With sparkling Diamond spray:
He looked again and found it was
Another sunny day.
"Perhaps I'll take a walk," he said,
"Or maybe I'll just play."

  He wakened then in Morning Light
And called for Tea and Toast:
But what he found before him
Was an admirable Roast.
“By George,” he said, “this really is
Just what I wanted most.”



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