Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 66

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Greece.

I think of Greece: The Golden Fleece!

And frequent war (as well as peace).

I think of wise old Sophocles—

Whose plays enjoy each new reprise.

And Plato and his Socrates—

That hemlock brought him to his knees!

The Parthenon—those randy gods

Who had such ripped and ready bods.

And Aristotle—what a mind!

A rare and very precious kind.

Remember Aristophanes?

Whose plays still stun and always please.

Odysseus and Penelope—

It took some time for him to free

Himself, to kill those greedy dudes

Who had such selfish attitudes.

(Lord Byron died there--what a shame!

But he's retained his name and fame.)

Oh, all those stories! All that myth!

So long we’ve been acquainted with

It all. And then … democracy.

But will it linger? We will see.

To Greece we owe enormous debt—
A gift that we cannot forget.