To My Two-Wheeled Steed.
You are not a ‘ Bissikle,’ rhyming with ‘physical,’1
Whizzical whirligig queer—2
O Horse ! without visible legs, which we quizzical3
Hear of this year with the ear.4
Nor, are you ‘ By-siggle, not though a nice iggle5
Girl that I know accents ‘ Bi’—6
Rhymes it with ‘icicle.’ I in surprise giggle,7
Hearing this here with the ‘i.’8
No ; nor yet ‘ Byze-i-cal.’ Bless your poor ‘i’s !’
I call9
This worse than either or each ;10
A most inadvisable egotistiz-ical11
Liberty (like this) with speech.12
Trusty two-wheeler, of wood and of steel or13
Iron good-tempered your frame’s—14
(That is, if the dealer employed an annealer) :15
Don’t let us call Bi-cycles names.16
You take but a little sweet oil for your victual—17
No hostler is fee’d for your feed ;18
And if you don’t fit ill, you cost but a tittle19
To stand me in-stead of a steed.20
Nor do you get tired, except ’tis desired21
If the rings of your wheels give way ;22
Though tirèd, un-tirèd—whenever required,23
O Horse ! you will never say Neigh !24