Looking for Abecedarian Poem

[froldt]

I stumbled across a poem entitled (something like) The Abecedarian in a poetry book in my high school library. I began memorizing it, as it struck my fancy, but only made it part way through. Unfortunately, I cannot remember who wrote it, and have not been able to find it since. Hopefully someone here can point me in the right direction.

 

 

A is for apple, as everyone knows

But B is for, what do you suppose?

 

A Bible, a barber, a banquet, a bank?

No! B is this boat, and the night that it sank.

 

C is it's captain, D is it's dory,

While E, but first, let me tell you a story.

 

There once was an Eagle, exceedingly proud

who wished to fly, in the form of a cloud.

 

Yes, E is for eagle and F is for form

and G is the grass that got wet in the storm

 

When the cloud that the eagle so unwisely became

sprinkled our hero and all of his fame

 

across ten acres of upland plateau

So much for that story, now H do you know?

 

H is the hay that was made from the grass

I's the idea of going to mass

 

Which is something only a Catholic would do

Jews go to Synagog, J is a Jew.

 

K is for kitchen, as well as for kiss

L is for all of the black licorice

 

You can eat without feeling ill

M is for Millipede, Millet and Mill

 

The first's an insect, the second's a grain

The third grinds the second, it's kind of hard to explain

 

To someone who has never seen it

So let's go to the country, right now, yes I mean it

 

N is the night, we race through it to reach

P is the plight of the...

 

(Oh deary me, I've forgotten O)

 

 

 

..... and that's all that I remember. I'm hoping someone can fill in the rest (and correct what I've messed up).

The same author also had the Zewhyexary

 

Z is the zenith from which we decline

Y is the yelp as you twist your spine...

 

 

(this one didn't catch my fancy quite a much...)

[WendyNC]

Perhaps from here? I can't find the text online, but perhaps your local library will stock this book.

[froldt]

Perhaps from here? I can't find the text online, but perhaps your local library will stock this book.

 

Hmm... I will check at the library to see if they have it.

However, looking at Amazon's preview pages, the first line matches, though the second doesn't.

 

I remember the book being a collection of poems. A hardback, probably 500 or more pages thick. Rather hefty, with lots of different poems in there.

[caliken]

I'm afraid that I can't answer your question but if I were you, I'd re-post in "The Write Stuff" sub-forum.....I think that you're more likely to have success there.

 

caliken

[penspouse]

I'm afraid that I can't answer your question but if I were you, I'd re-post in "The Write Stuff" sub-forum.....I think that you're more likely to have success there.

 

caliken

 

Good suggestion. Hope you find it. I'd like to read the entire poem.

[froldt]

re-posted, thanks for the suggestion!

In the stickies, I saw the abecedarian sentences, which made me think of it again, so I posted here.

[froldt]

Coming from Yes, Let's which finally made its way over to my library (after an unfortunate mis-routing along the way). I haven't read through much of it, but have thoroughly enjoyed the poems that I have perused.

 

Abecedary

By: Tom Disch

 

A is an Apple, as everyone knows.

But B is a .... What do you suppose?

A Bible? A Barber? A Banquet? A Bank?

No, B is this Boat, the night that it sank.

C is its Captain, and D is its Dory,

While E - But first let me tell you a story.

There once was an Eagle exceedingly proud

Who thought it would fly, in the Form of a cloud --

Yes, E is for Eagle, and F is for Form,

And G is the Grass that got wet in the storm

When the cloud that the Egale unwisely became

Sprinkled our hero and all of his fame

Over ten acres of upland plateau.

So much for that story. Now H. Do you know?

H is the Hay that was made from the Grass,

And I's the Idea of going to Mass,

Which is something that only a Catholic would do.

Jews go to Synagogue. J is a Jew.

K is for Kitchen as well as for Kiss,

While L is for all of the black Licorice

You can eat in an hour without feeling ill.

M is for Millipede, Millet, and Mill.

The first is an insect, the second a grain,

The third grinds the second: it's hard to explain

Such a process to children who never have seen it --

So let's go to the country right now! YEs, I mean it.

We're leaving already, and N is the Night

We race through to reach it, while P is the Plight

Of the people (Remember?) who sailed in that Boat

That is still, by a miracle, somehow afloat!

(Oh dear, I've just nocied I've overlooked O:

O's an Omission and really should go

In that hole - do you see it? - between N and P.

No? It's not there now? Dear O, pardon me.)

Q is the Question of how far away

A person can travel in one single day,

And whether it's worth it, or might it be better

To just stay at home and write someone a letter?

R's are Relations, a regular swarm.

Now get out of the car - we've arrived at their farm!

S is the Sight of a Thanksgiving feast,

And T is the Turkey, which must weight at least

Thirty pounds. U is Utopia. V ...

V simply Vanishes - where, we can't see -

While W Waves from its Westernmost isle

And X lies exhausted, attempting to smile.

There are no letters left now but Y and then Z.

Y is for You, dear, and Z is for me.