A jumbo so vain, and fond of his shape Had himself beautified by a gray ape, Tattooed and gilded with elegant signs, The latest and merriest monkey designs. Then the ape rode the jumbo And made the land gape, As he sat at his ease in the elephant chair. He had tattooed himself with designs from a shawl, And he gathered a grape with a self-possessed air, And threw down a twig at another fine ape. [Illustration: VACHEL LINDSAY 1922 THE APE RODE THE JUMBO] [Illustration] A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN A duck within the harem of a drake who ran for president Swam in his parade, and made it an event. She carried a big card of his footprints and she said:-- “He waddles like an arrow, straight ahead.” [Illustration] OLD JUDGE HOOT OWL Old Judge Hoot Owl sits by his inkwell Writing wills for the wealthy and swell. He knows something he won’t tell. Three little house flies, drowned in his inkwell. Three little scandals in a peanut shell. [Illustration] PEARLS Now she was fond of jewelry, The Lady-of-Fiddle-Dee-Dee, So she built her house Near an oyster bed, Where the pearls were almost free. [Illustration] THE LAND HORSE AND THE SEA HORSE The Land Horse Everybody rides, Until his eyes are dim. [Illustration: THE LAND HORSE] [Illustration] The Sea Horse! Every wave he rides. And nobody Rides him. [Illustration: THE SEA HORSE VACHEL LINDSAY 1922] [Illustration] CONCERNING THE MOUSE WITH TWO TAILS The cat was astonished To see the mouse stand there, Waving two tails, With a confident air. [Illustration] WORDS ABOUT AN ANCIENT QUEEN INSCRIBED WITH APOLOGIES TO LYTTON STRACHEY Queen Hat-shep-sut, pious and fat Wore a hair net under her hat. Queen Hat-shep-sut, restrained and refined Wore a hair net over her mind. [Illustration] End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Going-to-the-Sun, by Vachel Lindsay