Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Louis Untermeyer, ed. (1885–1977). Modern American Poetry. 1919.

Charles E. Carryl1841–1920

Robinson Crusoe’s Story

THE NIGHT was thick and hazy

When the “Piccadilly Daisy”

Carried down the crew and captain in the sea;

And I think the water drowned ’em;

For they never, never found ’em,

And I know they didn’t come ashore with me.

Oh! ’twas very sad and lonely

When I found myself the only

Population on this cultivated shore;

But I’ve made a little tavern

In a rocky little cavern,

And I sit and watch for people at the door.

I spent no time in looking

For a girl to do my cooking,

As I’m quite a clever hand at making stews;

But I had that fellow Friday,

Just to keep the tavern tidy,

And to put a Sunday polish on my shoes.

I have a little garden

That I’m cultivating lard in,

As the things I eat are rather tough and dry;

For I live on toasted lizards,

Prickly pears, and parrot gizzards,

And I’m really very fond of beetle-pie.

The clothes I had were furry,

And it made me fret and worry

When I found the moths were eating off the hair;

And I had to scrape and sand ’em,

And I boiled ’em and I tanned ’em,

Till I got the fine morocco suit I wear.

I sometimes seek diversion

In a family excursion

With the few domestic animals you see;

And we take along a carrot

As refreshment for the parrot,

And a little can of jungleberry tea.

Then we gather as we travel,

Bits of moss and dirty gravel,

And we chip off little specimens of stone;

And we carry home as prizes

Funny bugs, of handy sizes,

Just to give the day a scientific tone.

If the roads are wet and muddy

We remain at home and study,—

For the Goat is very clever at a sum,—

And the Dog, instead of fighting,

Studies ornamental writing,

While the Cat is taking lessons on the drum.

We retire at eleven,

And we rise again at seven;

And I wish to call attention, as I close,

To the fact that all the scholars

Are correct about their collars,

And particular in turning out their toes.