The Galapagos Ballet

I was lolling with the faeries
in my wise and thoughtful tree,
who was playing on his airy
ocarina by the sea,
when a sprucely dress'd jacana
strutted up the drifty beach,
and he offer'd a lantana
as he made a little speech:

'Having reach'd the termination
of their pan-Bornean tour,
where tonitruous ovations
testified to their allure,
I present an invitation
to a private matinee
of their flaming conflagrations,
The Galapagos Ballet!'

From out the wavy waters
who wash the windy beach
crawl'd seventy iguanas,
who nodded each to each.
They clomb into a pile
which rose to form a sphere
and roll'd around a while
till all the sand was clear.

Then it open'd like an oyster,
like a flower, lily-lightly,
showing forth, as from a cloister --
an iguana Aphrodite
stepping lightly in her nighty
o'er the sands, who ring so brightly,
hither-thither, free and flighty,
softly sublimate and spritely.

As a suite for ocarina
flutter'd through the ocean breeze,
the iguana ballerina
twirl'd and capriol'd with ease
with a fine danseur who stately
flew her round with airy grace . .
It enchanted me so greatly:
How their charm suffus'd the place!

The rest of the iguanas
were circling in a wreath
like so many piranhas
with lots and lots of teeth.
Exactly at the climax
they sprang into the air,
descending like a broad-axe
to tear apart the pair!

It was frightening to look on
all the roil-broil there.
O I almost wish'd to be gone --
but then suddenly a flare
fulgurated through the mishmash,
and it lit them all on fire!
Then there came a blinding white flash!
-- and the singing of a choir . .

When I peak'd between my fingers,
no iguanas could I see
-- just a single lone jacana
who address'd himself to me:
'So concludes today's performance,
for we now must all away.
I commend to your remembrance
The Galapagos Ballet.'

A lily-white lantana,
a rosy-red one too;
a ballerine iguana,
iguana barbecue . .
'I wonder at the meaning,'
I spake unto my tree,
who play'd his ocarina
and nodded knowingly.

Elsie - From somewhere on the internet...