"...And, just as he felt he was getting nowhere,
And almost about to give up in despair,
He suddenly burst through a door and that Mayor
Discovered one shirker! Quite hidden away
In the Fairfax Apartments (Apartment 12-J)
A very small, very small shirker named Jo-Jo
was standing, just standing, and bouncing a Yo-Yo!
Not making a sound! Not a yipp! Not a chirp!
And the Mayor rushed inside and he grabbed the young twerp!
And he climbed with the lad up the Eiffelberg Tower.
“This,” cried the Mayor, “is your towns darkest hour!
The time for all Whos who have blood that is red
To come to the aid of their country!” he said.
“We’ve GOT to make noises in greater amounts!
So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!”
Thus he spoke as he climbed. When they got to the top,
The lad cleared his throat and he shouted out, “YOPP!”
And that Yopp…
That one small, extra Yopp put it over!
Finally, at last! From that speck on that clover
Their voices were heard! They rang out clear and clean.
And the elephant smiled. “Do you see what I mean?…
They’ve proved they ARE persons, no matter how small.
And their whole world was saved by the smallest of All!”
It's ok to think it's funny, but "Horton Hears A Who" is one of my favorite pieces of lyrical poetry.
GF
6 comments:
I love everything Dr. Seuss.
That's because you are a smart young woman, Des.
Brilliant man, that.
I don't think it funny at all.
I think it lovely.
He's my favorite too. Thanks for sharing the excerpt.
I think if we all went by some of Dr. Suess' philosophies we'd all find we could be living happier lives!
I remember being scared as a little kid by the animated version, with the repeated chant of "Boil that dustspeck, boil that dustspeck, boil it, boil it, boil that dustspeck."
Have you ever had the pleasure of exploring Dr. Seuss' more political and adult side? His sculptures are incredible, and The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss is a fabulous book, published posthumously.
I've always admired his balance of the macabre and the sublime with the sublimely absurd. Always glad to find a fellow Seussian.
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