Welcome to www.EllisParkerButler.Info SIGN-IN
HOME BIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY READING ROOM
Welcome to www.EllisParkerButler.Info, the best place on the Internet to find information about the life and work of Ellis Parker Butler, American humorist and author.

"Mouths of Hippopotami and Some Recent Novels" from Bookman

by Ellis Parker Butler
text only format text only  printer friendly format printer friendly

    1911

  • Bookman (October, 1911)   "Mouths of Hippopotami and Some Recent Novels"   A poem. The apology is probably a reference to a series of similarly named articles by Frederic Taber Cooper in this publication. p 207.  [RGTPL]

from Bookman
Mouths of Hippopotami and Some Recent Novels
by Ellis Parker Butler (with apologies to Frederic Taber Cooper)

I well recall (and who does not)
The circus bill-board hippopotamus,
whose wide distended jaws
For fear and terror were good cause.

That month, that vasty carmine cave,
Could munch with ease a Nubian slave;
In fact, the bill-board hippopot-
amus could bolt a house and lot!

Wide opened, that tremendous mouth
Obscured three-quarters of the south
Side of Schmidt's barn, and promised me
Thrills, shocks, delights and ecstasy.

And then, alas! what sad non plus
The living hippopotamus!
'Twas but a stupid, sodden lump
As thrilling as an old elm stump.

Its mouth -- unreasonably small --
The hippo opened not at all,
Or, if it did, it was about
As thrilling as a teapot spout.

* * * * *

The Crimson Junk, by Doris Watt,
I've read it. Who, I pray, has not?
Bill Wastel, by C. Marrow. The
Plaid Cowslip
. And The Hocking Lee.

The Fallow Field, by Sally Loo;
The Rose in Chains. I've read that too;
I've read them all for promised treat
Of thrills, emotions, tremblings sweet.

* * * * *

The bill-board hippopotamus
It was a wild, uprageous cuss --
The real one ? Well -- Can you recall
That it had any mouth at all?


BACK



HOME  |  BIOGRAPHY  |  BIBLIOGRAPHY  |  COVER ART  |  PERIODICALS  |  READING ROOM
ABOUT THIS SITE  |  FOOTNOTES  |  RESOURCES  |  PIGS IS PIGS  |  CONTACT US

Saturday, October 07 at 2:04:45am USA Central
This web site is Copyright © 2006 by the ANDMORE Companies. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Images for viewing only. All copyrights remain with the holder. No covers or publications for sale.
www.EllisParkerButler.Info is a research project of the ANDMORE Companies, Houston TX USA.