I peeped through leaves of verdant green,
tiptoed on fairy feet,
praying I wouldn’t once be seen,
chewed into luncheon meat
by foulest creature, fierce and mean.

I’m blowed if I’ll be obsolete,
a heap of guts and spleen.
I prance right up, so indiscreet,
with derring-do my screen.
“How do you do, my dear,” I bleat.

I pray the thing will swoon and preen,
be indisposed to eat;
it speaks: “You’ve brought your Vaseline?”
I gaily send my tweet:
Who’s tweaked the sweetest griffin queen?

For boys and girls fresh out of class,
Relieved to be not in,
Who think a song helps time to pass
And play and myth no sin.
Come these soft lines with nothing stiff in,
With sylvan nymphs, a knight and griffin.
With a fa, la, la.

Throw out gray maps your teachers made;
I know the Middle Ages'
Show highlands' Griffin, seas' mermaid...
Where cherubs kiss the pages.
See lions' brawn and eagles' brow
There joined, but oh don't ask me how.
With a fa, la, la.

What in the class is held in doubt
Helps banish boredom when you're out.
With a fa, la, la.
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