1At five precisely out went La Marquise
2since Elgin left his nostrils in the stone
3her native chauffeur waited in the breeze
4which neither time nor tide can long postpone

5Old Galileo’s Pisan offerings
6when flame a form to wrath ancestral gave
7a daring baron pockets precious Mings
8victorious worms grind all into the grave

9The genealogist with field and fess
10or grinning like a pale-faced golliwog
11and played their mountain croquet jungle chess

12We’ll suffocate before the epilogue
13do bank clerks rule their abacus by thumb
14they’re kings we’re mammal-cousins hi ho hum