Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 167

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Swaziland.*

It’s landlocked in South Africa—

A country very small.

In fact, I really must confess,

I knew it not at all.

But that’s because I’m ignorant

Of far too many things:
Of sailing ships and sealing wax

Of cabbages and kings.**

And while we speak of kings, let’s note

That Swaziland has one.

They gained their freedom (’68)—

And that produced some fun.

The king came later—seven years—

And now he’s in control.

A simple sort of government:

“You all do what you’re tol’!”

But still, the country’s quite diverse—

Geography and that.

They’ve got those noted animals—

The rhino—jungle cat

(That’s lion! leopard!)—buffalo—

And parks where you can see

These creatures in their habitats—

Sounds awesome now to me.

But I’m a creature, also, and

I want to tell you, Bud:
That though I am part human, well,

I have some chicken blood!

*SWAH-zee-land

**Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?