The Plaint of the Camel

Canary birds feed on sugar and seed,

Parrots have crackers to crunch;

And as for the poodles, they tell me the noodles

Have chickens and cream for their lunch.

But there's never a question

About my  digestion—

Anything  does for me!

Cats, you're aware, can repose in a chair,

Chickens can roost upon rails;

Puppies are able to sleep in a stable,

And oysters can slumber in pails.

But no one supposes

A poor Camel dozes—

Any place  does for me!

Lambs are inclosed where it's never exposed,

Coops are constructed for hens;

Kittens are treated to houses well heated,

And pigs are protected by pens.

But a Camel comes handy

Wherever it's sandy—

Anywhere  does for me!

People would laugh if you rode a giraffe

Or mounted the back of an ox;

It's nobody's habit to ride on a rabbit

Or try to bestraddle a fox.

But as for a Camel, he's

Ridden by families—

Any load  does for me!

A snake is as round as a hole in the ground,

And weasels are wavy and sleek;

And no alligator could ever be straighter

Than lizards that live in a creek,

But a Camel's all lumpy

And bumpy and humpy—

Any shape  does for me!

—Charles Edward Carryl.