1He bent right down to pick up his valise
2his exaltation shocked both youth and crone
3replies like this the dumbstruck brain may tease
4and empty cages show life’s bird has flown

5Old Galileo’s Pisan offerings
6that metred rhyme alone can souls enslave
7proud death quite il-le-gi-ti-mate-ly stings
8till firemen come with hose-piped tidal wave

9Platonic Greece was not so talentless
10one tongue will do to keep the verse agog
11and played their mountain croquet jungle chess

12Lobsters for sale must be our apologue
13on fish-slab whale nor seal has never swum
14the bell tolls fee-less fi-less fo-less fum