A Hippopotamus Not



A Hippopotamus Not :




A hippopotamusn’t sit

On lawn chairs, stools, and rockers.

A hippopotamusn’t yawn

Directly under tightrope walkers.

A hippopotamusn’t roll

In gutters used by bowlers.

A hippopotamusn’t fail

To floss his hippopotamolars.



The awful things a hippopotamusn’t do

Are just

As important as the lawful things

A hippopotamust.





[First appeared in A Hippopotamusn’t, Dial, 1990.

All rights belong to J. Patrick Lewis - U.S. Children's Poet Laureate]


















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