Wishful Thinking

I wish I were a

Elephantiaphus

And could pick off the coconuts with my nose.

But, oh! I am not,

(Alas! I cannot be)

An Elephaniti-

Elephantiaphus.

But I'm a cockroach

And I'm a water-bug,

I can crawl aournd and hide behind the sink.

I wish I were a

Rhinoscerèeacus

And could wear an ivory toothpick in my nose.

But, oh! I am not,

(Alas! I cannot be)

A Rhinocori-

Rhinoscerèeacus.

But I'm a beetle

And I'm a punpkin-bug.

I can buzz and bang my head against the wall.

I wish I were a

Hippopopotamus

And could swim the Tigris and the broad Gangès.

But, oh! I am not,

(Alas! I cannot be)

A Hippopopo-

Hippopopotamus.

But I'm a grasshopper

And I'm a katydid,

I can play the fiddle with my left hind-leg.

I wish I were a

Levileviathan

And had seven hundred knuckles in my spine.

But, oh! I am not,

(Alas! I cannot be)

A Levi-ikey-

Levi-ikey-mo.

But I'm a firefly

And I'm a lightning bug,

I can light cheroots and gaspers with my tail.