Poem by Charles Edward Carryl

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.

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