Soft was the night, the eve how airy, <br />When through the big, fat dictionary <br />I wandered on in careless ease, <br />And read the a's, b's, c's and d's! <br /> <br />But stop! What is this form I see, <br />Beginning with a hump-backed d? <br />I pause! I gasp! I falter there! <br />It is the djolan, I declare! <br /> <br />It is the djolan, wond'rous word! <br />The Buceros plicatus bird! <br />Ne'er, ne'er before had I the bliss <br />To meet a djolly word like this! <br /> <br />'Twas djust before my dinner hour -- <br />Well, let the djuicy djoint go sour! <br />Djoyful I read. I djust must see <br />What this strange djolan word may be! <br /> <br />Ah! ha! It is a noun! A noun! <br />(A ''name word" as we say in town) <br />"E. Ind. The native name of the <br />Year bird." These are the words I see. <br /> <br />"A hornbill with a white tail and --" <br />The big book trembles in my hand -- <br />"-- plicated membrane at the base --" <br />Ah, well-a-day! If that's the case! <br /> <br />"-- base of the beak, inhabiting --" <br />Oh! dictionary, wond'rous thing! <br />"-- the Sunda Islands ----" Where would we <br />Without our dictionary be? <br /> <br />"-- Malacca, e-t-c." That's all! <br />I let the dictionary fall. <br />I am replete. All is explained. <br />Knowledge (it's power) is what I've gained! <br /> <br />Soft was the night, the eve how airy, <br />I read no more the dictionary, <br />But Oh! and Oh! my heart was stirred <br />To learn the djolan was a bird! <br /> <br /> <br />Submitted by John Martin<br /><br />Ellis Parker Butler<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/djolan/
