Shel Silverstein

Bituminous?

The hard coal’s called bituminous,
Or is that anthracite?
Stalactites grow down from caves,
Or do I mean stalagmites?
Those fluffy clounds are nimbus -
No– wait– they might be cumulus.
And that kid who was raised by wolves -
Was he Remus - or Romulus?
The brothauruses ate no meat.
Does that mean they’re carnivorous?
Or were they brontosauruses
And were they herbivorous?
A camel is a pachyderm -
Or do I mean dromedary?
Is this match inflammable?
I thought it was incendiary.
Octagons– no hexagons –
No, heptagons have seven sides.
And don’t spray fruit with pesticides -
Or do I mean insecticides?
If I can see right through a thing,
Is it transparent - or translucent?
These are just some of the things
I find confusing... or confuscent.
Other works by Shel Silverstein...



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