ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

This is the poem I mentioned in Terry's thread about the poem he learnt at school. A lady recited this one at Bundaberg earliler this year - very clever and a real tongue twister. She said she learnt it at school. The printed copy I have is set out differently so that rhymnes in the first and fourth lines are internal rhymes. I think it has lost some of the format when being copied - sorry about that.


The Legend Of The First Cam-u-el: An Arabian Apologue
by Arthur Guiterman

Across the sands of Syria,
Or possibly Algeria,
Or some benighted neighborhood of barrenness and drouth,
There came the Prophet Samu-u-el
Upon the Only Cam-u-el –
A bumpy, grumpy Quadruped of discontented mouth.

The atmosphere was glutinous;
The Cam-u-el was mutinous;
He dumped the pack from off his back; with
Horrid grunts and squeals
He made the desert hideous;
With strategy perfidious
He tied his neck in curlicues, he kicked his paddy heals.

Then quoth the gentle Sam-u-el,
“You rogue, I ought to lam you well!
Though zealously I’ve shielded you from every
grief and woe,
It seems, to voice a platitude,
You haven’t any gratitude.
I’d like to hear what cause you have for doing
thus and so!”

To him replied the Cam-u-el,
“I beg your pardon, Sam-u-el,
I know that I’m a Reprobate, I know that I’m a
Freak;
But, oh! This utter loneliness!
My too-distinguished Onliness!
Were there but other Cam-u-els I wouldn’t be
unique.”

The Prophet beamed beguilingly.
“Aha,” he answered, smilingly,
“You feel the need of company? I clearly under-
stand.
We’ll speedily create for you
The corresponding made for you –
Ho! Presto, change-o, dinglebat!” – he waved a
potent hand,
And lo! From out Vacuity
A second Incongruity,
To wit, a Lady Cam-u-el was born through magic
art.
Her structure anatomical,
Her form and face were comical;
She was, in short, a Cam-u-el, the other’s counter-
part.

As Spaniards gaze on Aragon,
Upon that Female Paragon
So gazed the Prophet’s Cam-u-el, that primal
Desert Ship.
A connoisseur meticulous,
He found her that ridiculous
He grinned from ear to auricle until he split his lip!

Because of his temerity
That Cam-u-el’s posterity
Must wear divided upper lips through all their
solemn lives!
A prodigy astonishing
Reproachfully admonishing
Those wicked, heartless married men who ridicule their wives.

That's superb Heather.

I hope everybody here notices that it is not the story that makes this poem, it is the very skilful use of language.

Poetry is made of words not ideas.

Love it Heather thanks for digging it up and sharing. I (partially) concur with Nev, what a GREAT idea using multi-syllabic end-rhymes woven into the story ...

(just take another look at the last line in the second-last stanza, either a typo or some other stuff-up) ...

It's very clever and it was a great one to listen to - and she did it without fault! Very clever use of language

Good one Heather -great fun

Suspect made should me mate though - The corresponding made for you –

I suspect you are right Maureen. I just cut and paste from the site where it was posted..

Good one Heather, it would take a bit to memorize - Terry