Arthur Guiterman (1871-1943)
The Great Tyrannosaurus
1The Great Tyrannosaurus
2 Lived centuries ago;
3Through marshes wet and porous
4 He rambled to and fro.
5The most tremendous Lizard
6 That ever browsed on meat,
7His length from A to Izzard
8 Was forty-seven feet.
9The Great Tyrannosaurus
10 In habitude was not
11What one would call decorous --
12 He ate an awful lot.
13Lamellibranchs in sixes,
16 Comprised his bill of fare.
17The Great Tyrannosaurus
18 Of all the world was king;
19With trumpeting sonorous
20 He swallowed everything.
21When everything was swallowed
22 Beneath the azure sky,
23What naturally followed? --
24 The Creature had to die.
25The Great Tyrannosaurus
26 That was so blithe and free
27Hath passed away before us;
28 Then learn from him and me:
29This earth can never nourish
30 An appetite like his,
31So if you hope to flourish,
32 Don't gobble all there is!
Notes
7] Izzard: archaic name for the letter z.
13] Lamellibranchs: molluscs.
14] Iguanodons: extinct iguana-like giant lizzard.
15] Archaeopteryxes: extinct flying reptilic bird with a vertebrate tail.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text:
Publication date note: Guiterman, Arthur, The Mirthful Lyre (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1918): 27-28.
First published: The Mirthful Lyre (1918).
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition:
Recent editing: 1:2004/6/21
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