A Strange Wild Song

He thought he saw an Elephant That practiced 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 Sisters Husbands Niece. Unless you leave this house, he said, Ill 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 Bankers Clerk Descending from the bus: He looked again, and found it was A Hippopotamus. If this should stay to dine, he said, There wont 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! Its waiting to be fed!