The Pokey Monster

I heard a man say
he saw the man that
saw the great snake,
And it made him quake
To talk to someone
Who talked about the snake.

This gentleman had a lease
For the land around the pond
for a hunting ground;
They already have chains wound,
traps constructed, harpoons, lances, spears,
Surely the monster would be found.

I heard a man say
he saw the man that
saw the great snake,
And it made him quake
To talk to someone
Who talked about the snake.

Gaffs and barbs stood ready
for when spring’s thaws opened
Pocomoonshine’s waterway, fair,
and were going to snare
the monster of the deep some way,
They were mighty men to undertake the dare.

I heard a man say
he saw the man that
saw the great snake,
And it made him quake
To talk to someone
Who talked about the snake.

On the shore of the lake
they heard a noise
and saw what they knew
was a man fishing in a canoe.
Empty bottles soon convinced them;
it was a serpent that grew and grew.

I heard a man say
he saw the man that
saw the great snake,
And it made him quake
To talk to someone
Who talked about the snake.

The men swore the snake
was as round as a pork barrel.
When last seen by the lake,
it had left the water in its wake,
and passed a distant point of land
covered with granite, boulders, and sand.

I heard a man say
he saw the man that
saw the great snake,
And it made him quake
To talk to someone
Who talked about the snake.

Soon a scientist came along
To challenge the snake legend
With tales of otters from the sea;
“Often four or five are seen in company,
When swimming, one is usually in the lead
and the others follow in his lee.”

I heard a man say
he saw the man that
saw the great snake,
And it made him quake
To talk to someone
Who talked about the snake.

“When their backs roll out of the water
they look like one body forty feet in length.
So really the otters are fakes,
given rise to the stories repeated by old timers
of large serpents, monsters and snakes
Wandering around our little lakes.”

I heard a man say
he saw the man that
saw the great snake,
And it made him quake
To talk to someone
Who talked about the snake.

I say let the people dream
And let the stories grow large.
When you are sitting at a campfire
Beside Pocomoonshine and hear a sound,
The situation won’t be too dire
As long as you don’t call the tale teller a liar.

I heard a man say
he saw the man that
saw the great snake,
And it made him quake
To talk to someone
Who talked about the snake.