The Horrid Parade!

"On they come, right toward me!"

The Horrid Parade!
by Ruth A. Kenneth.

I heard the grown folks talking,
As I lay in my bed,
And opened my eyes and listened
To everything they said.
It seems there was a circus
Coming to our town,
With an elephant, a tiger,
A bear, and funny clown.
They said there was a lion
That had an awful roar;
A camel, lots of monkeys, and
A thousand things or more.
And then I heard a little noise!
Though dark, I just did see
The whole of that big circus
Coming straight for me!
On they came, right toward me,
From where, nobody knows,
With bands of music playing,
Horses stepping on my toes.
They cam right through the darkness
And never touched the floor;
I didn't see the lion,
But I think I heard him roar.
And then I grew most awful 'fraid,
Called, "Mother!" With a light
She scared that horrid big parade
And put it out of sight.