Classic Poem

Caesar, afloat with his fortunes!
And all the world agog
Straining its eyes
At a thing that lies
In the water, like a log!
It's a weasel! a whale!
I see its tail!
It's a porpoise! a pollywog!

Tarnation! it's a turtle!
And blast my bones and skin,
My heartics, sink her,
Or else you 'll think her
A regular terror-pin!

The frigate poured a broadside!
The bombs they whistled well,
But — hit old Nick
With a sugar stick!
It did n't phase her shell!

Piff , from the creature's tarboard —
And dipping along the water
A bullet hissed
From a wreath of mist
Into a Doodle's quarter!

Raff , from the creature's starboard —
Rip , from his ugly shorter,
And the Congress and
The Cumberland
Sunk, and nothing — shorter.

Now, here's lo you, Virginia,
And you are bound to win!
By your rate of bobbing round
And your way of pitchin' in —
For you are a cross
Of the old sea-hoss
And a regular terror-pin.