Classic Poem

Les Orangs-outangs

The Orang-outangs of Europe once,
If Esop we believe
Such spokesmen were, that we from them
Our advocates receive
Thus one of them once spoke in Court:
" Search, Sirs, through history's pages;
Man to Orang-outangs, has been,
A monkey, in all ages

" First, living on what we let fall,
We taught him how to pick
Good fruit: then, copying us, he walked
Erect, and with a stick
On Heaven, when he's alarmed, he palms
Our very coin, grimace:
Man with Orang-outangs has held
For aye the monkey's place

" In love he apes us — but our shes
To us are faithful duly;
Our bare-faced cynicism's all
He's imitated truly
'Mongst us Diogenes acquired
His free-and-easy tone:
Orang-outangs, Sirs, have for aye
Man as their monkey known.

" What troops of us mankind have seen,
In wings and centre banded,
With guard, van-guard, and skirmishers,
By veteran chiefs commanded!
We'd Alexanders by the score,
Long ere the Trojan War:
Good sirs, Orang-Outangs in Man
Their monkey always saw.

" Since 'tis the first of arts — with stick,
Or sword, or lance — to slay;
And since we teach it — tell me why
Man is our king, I pray.
Ye gods, your image copying us!
O sacrilegious thought!
Yes, gods, Orang-outangs have aye
Mankind, like monkeys, taught "

" What, what! " says Jove, " apes, beavers, bees,
All dinning in my ear —
" Your Man, he's but an ill-licked cub;
Where gat you aught so queer?"
Beasts, I must make you dumb — since me
Man wheedles, if a flunkey;
And long time yet, Orang-outangs
Must see in him their monkey. "