The Camel

T'was in the dreary month of June,

When desert sands are sweltering,

A camel glimpsed the daylight moon,

O'er the palm where he was sheltering,

And looking up the camel sighed,

To see such astral beauty glide,

On horned and twisted clouds to ride,

Above the desert sweltering.

It seemed so close, this daylight moon,

That even at its zenith height,

Climbing up the tallest dune,

And reaching out one just might,

Touch its lovely shining face,

And granted this one simple grace,

To rise also and take one's place,

Above the desert sweltering.

And so this foolish camel sneaked,

Off from the safe Oasis,

Not caring that his rough coat reeked,

Or his breath fumed halitosis,

He searched to find a dune that rose,

Beyond the orbit of the crows,

Up where the astral river flows,

Above the desert sweltering.

Now you might think this camel's quest,

A pea-brained bit of balderdash,

Like Icarus and all the rest,

His silly scheme was sure to crash,

Should this young dromedary climb,

Some mighty dune (which is no crime,

With dreams inordinate and sublime,

Upon his brain a-peltering).

At last he spied a duneish bent,

Above the hot mirages,

And fearing not the steep ascent,

Nor avalanche barrages,

Up this dune, up to its apex,

As though his legs were made of latex,

This camel climbed inspired by pretext,

Above the desert sweltering.

With each step of his sturdy toes,

The fickle sands receded,

But step by step the camel rose,

'Til he at last succeeded,

And stood atop the mighty dune,

Gazing on the daylight moon,

Like Zoroaster stares at noon,

Above the desert sweltering.

To think, a camel such as he,

The least among the caravan,

So long of nose and knocked of knee,

So conscience of his fear of man,

Should climb up to these glittering heights,

To dwell among those famous lights,

Who care not whether days or nights,

Befall the desert sweltering.

T'was then he saw her, pale and pure,

Conversing with some orb of splendor,

Which made him feel like some great cur,

Some fake, some mountebank contender,

T'was then she spied him 'cross the strand,

Of clouds, she beckoned with her hand,

"Join us!" she laughed "O camel grand,

Who trods the desert sweltering!"

He tip-toed out with valiant nerve,

Un-kosher and Unshaven,

Into that void where comets swerve,

And black holes find their haven,

He stepped across a band of fleece,

As thin as Ebeneezer's Niece,

A highway for the swans and geese,

Above the desert sweltering.

He waved his forelegs in the air,

To keep his balance stable,

And slipping here, and sliding there,

He found that he was able,

To cross that breach both deep and wild,

To where his day lit lady smiled,

As though he were a wayward child,

Late from the desert sweltering.

"Yoo hoo!" she cried, "Hola! Haloo!

Ye sundry orbs and various,

Let me now introduce to you,

Camelus dromedarius,

Without an invitation he,

Of low estate and pedigree,

Has joined we orbs of high degree,

Above the desert sweltering."

She took him by the hoof to dance,

All ringed with light and fire,

To join the heavens in that trance,

Astrologers admire,

And like a dervish was his whirl,

His nostrils flared, his pink lips curled,

That dromedary swirled and swirled,

Above the desert sweltering.

Dear listener this tale you've heard,

Unfold 'cross bleak savannas,

By now the thought may have occurred,

This camel's gone bananas,

But What if he snidely curls his lip?

Distaining camel boys and whip?

But does his work? Good Desert Ship!

Across the desert sweltering.