Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 121

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Nauru.

It’s tiny. It’s an island. I

Had never heard of it

Until I started writing this—

And then I learned a bit.

It’s out in Micronesia, and

It’s tropical, of course.

And in the Second World War

The Japanese used force

To take the place and use it for

An outpost. Now it’s rare

For visitors to come and stay—

Enjoy the beaches there.

It gained its independence back

In 1968.

And phosphate drawn from guano once

Brought money to the state.

But it is a democracy—

And that’s good news for all,

For sense and sensibility

In other cases fall.

Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 120

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Namibia.

“Namibia”—I love to hear

That name, for it suggests no fear

Although they’ve got some cheetahs there—

Who’ll run you down—and make you fare.

In Africa—on the southwest—

The country lies—and has the test

Of desert life—oh, quite a spot

If you like places dry and hot.

Of languages, it has a host.

Of ethnic groups, about the most.

It’s got wild dog—and antelope—

Some wildebeest—but give up hope:

For cheetahs you cannot outrun—

For them, you’re just preprandial fun!

Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 119

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Myanmar.

You know, of course, of Myanmar—

Once known as Burma, near and far.

But change of name? There is no bar.

There are so many ethnic groups

(And that, of course, means lots of soups!)—

And countless military troops.

It is an ancient Buddhist place—

Most folks believe—it is the base.

Though others say their kinds of grace.

And back in 1962

There was, you know, a final coup—

The military—all was new.

The animals that fascinate

And there in numbers—oh, so great!

You meet a leopard? Guess your fate …

They’ve got some rhino, buffs and boars.

And elephants that to their cores

Are gentle things: One rarely roars.

Though “trumpet” is the word for sound

That sometimes comes from them around

The time they’re moved. And I’ve have found

That being moved emotionally

Can bring some sounds, as well, from me!

Thought “roar” and “trumpet” cannot be!

Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 118

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Mozambique.

The beaches there in Mozambique

Are really something quite unique:

The Indian Ocean splashes there—

And some marine life, very rare.

Maputo is the capital—

And resources? The country’s full.

But poverty—too much—remains,

Though often there are driving rains

That power agriculture there—

The hope of many, everywhere.

The language there is Portuguese—

Though others, too—some hard ones, geez!

They’ve elephant, giraffe, and more—

And lions really know the score:

They hunt the zebra on the plains,

And vultures clean the striped remains.

They’ve ostrich—and a crocodile
(I think of Captain Hook—and smile).

And lots of other threatened things

That run on legs and fly on wings.

Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 117

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Morocco.

A very old, old country there—

North African, you know?

It sits along that famous sea*—

Where trade and shipping go.

It is a monarchy, does well

In economic ways.

And tourists mean a lot to them—

They come to eat and gaze.

And, oh, that Casablanca where

Old Bogie said those lines

To Sam, the fabled pianist,

Who knew his boss’ signs.

It is Islamic (Sunni) and

Is looking how to save,

To use more natural energy,

Like solar, wind, and wave.

It’s got a lot of animals—

Hyena, panther, ape.

And sheep and goats in numbers vast—

’Twill make you stop and gape.

*Mediterranean

Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 116

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Montenegro.

It’s in the Balkans—has a view:

The Adriatic Sea.

It’s ripped with rugged mountains

And with rivers fierce and free.

A potpourri of tongues you’ll hear

If you should visit there.

From Serbian to Bosnian—

Croatian’s in the air! 

It split from Yugoslavia

In June 2006.

It has some canyons and some caves—

Oh, there is quite a mix!

“Black mountains”—that is what

Its name in English means,

And bear and deer and boar are there

To complement the scenes.

Around the World in the Good Ship DOGGEREL, 115

A doggerel series about the countries of the world.

Mongolia.

I am sure that you know about old Genghis Khan—

And Mongolia his home—though old Genghis is gone.

Now, it lies between Russia, and China is south,

And it looks, just a bit, like a wide-smiling mouth.

Well, it gets lots of sunlight; its winters are cold.

And the summers are hot—which soon gets very old.

And a leopard is there—it’s the one named for snow—

So you’d better take care as you come and you go.

And there also are antelope—also some deer—

Ah, but these, as you know, offer little to fear.

And some boar and some fox and some sable are there—

But that leopard is one that I don’t want to ... share.

The religions are mixed—though the Buddhists aren’t few—

And it is a republic: I like (shouldn’t you?).

So there’s lots there to see all throughout every year—

But that leopard remains as a thing I just fear!