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1868–1955

The Tern. The Turnip.

Robert Williams Wood

To tell the Turnip from the Tern, A thing which everyone should learn, Observe the Tern up in the air, See how he turns, and now compare

Him with this in-ert veg-et-able, Who thus to turn is quite unable, For he is rooted to the spot, While as we see, the Tern is not:

He is not always doomed to be Thus bound to earth e-tern-ally For “cooked to a tern” may be inferred, To change the Turnip to a bird.

Observe the Turnip in the Pot. The Tern is glad that he is not!

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The Tern. The Turnip. · Robert Williams Wood · Poetry Cove