Plaint Of The Missouri 'coon In The Berlin Zoological Gardens Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDE FFGGHHII JJKKAAAA LLAADDMM NNCCOONN PPQQRREDFriend by the way you hump yourself you're from the States I know | A |
And born in old Mizzourah where the 'coons in plenty grow | A |
I too am a native of that clime but harsh relentless fate | B |
Has doomed me to an exile far from that noble state | B |
And I who used to climb around and swing from tree to tree | C |
Now lead a life of ignominious ease as you can see | C |
Have pity O compatriot mine and bide a season near | D |
While I unfurl a dismal tale to catch your friendly ear | E |
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My pedigree is noble they used my grandsire's skin | F |
To piece a coat for Patterson to warm himself within | F |
Tom Patterson of Denver no ermine can compare | G |
With the grizzled robe that democratic statesman loves to wear | G |
Of such a grandsire I have come and in the County Cole | H |
All up an ancient cottonwood our family had its hole | H |
We envied not the liveried pomp nor proud estate of kings | I |
As we hustled around from day to day in search of bugs and things | I |
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And when the darkness fell around a mocking bird was nigh | J |
Inviting pleasant soothing dreams with his sweet lullaby | J |
And sometimes came the yellow dog to brag around all night | K |
That nary 'coon could wollop him in a stand up barrel fight | K |
We simply smiled and let him howl for all Mizzourians know | A |
That ary 'coon can beat a dog if the 'coon gets half a show | A |
But we'd nestle close and shiver when the mellow moon had ris'n | A |
And the hungry nigger sought our lair in hopes to make us his'n | A |
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Raised as I was it's hardly strange I pine for those old days | L |
I cannot get acclimated or used to German ways | L |
The victuals that they give me here may all be very fine | A |
For vulgar common palates but they will not do for mine | A |
The 'coon that's been used to stanch democratic cheer | D |
Will not put up with onion tarts and sausage steeped in beer | D |
No let the rest for meat and drink accede to slavish terms | M |
But send me back from whence I came and let me grub for worms | M |
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They come these gaping Teutons do on Sunday afternoons | N |
And wonder what I am alas there are no German 'coons | N |
For if there were I might still swing at home from tree to tree | C |
A symbol of democracy that's woolly blythe and free | C |
And yet for what my captors are I would not change my lot | O |
For I have tasted liberty these others they have not | O |
So even caged the democratic 'coon more glory feels | N |
Than the conscript German puppets with their swords about their heels | N |
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Well give my love to Crittenden to Clardy and O'Neill | P |
To Jasper Burke and Colonel Jones and tell 'em how I feel | P |
My compliments to Cockrill Munford Switzler Hasbrook Vest | Q |
Bill Nelson J West Goodwin Jedge Broadhead and the rest | Q |
Bid them be steadfast in the faith and pay no heed at all | R |
To Joe McCullagh's badinage or Chauncy Filley's gall | R |
And urge them to retaliate for what I'm suffering here | E |
By cinching all the alien class that wants its Sunday beer | D |
Eugene Field
(1)
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