I found this while searching for something else.

From St. Nicholas, Volume 11, No. 5 (New York: The Century Co., March, 1884), page 382:


AN ALPHABET MENAGERIE
By Isabel Frances Bellows

A was an Amiable Ape
Who lived on an African cape.
He climbed up the trees
On his elbows and knees
And came down by the fire escape.

B was a Bustling old Bear
Who thought he must have change of air,
So he went with a show,
Though it filled him with woe
To see people so rude as to stare.

C was a Comical Cat
Who tried to make love to a rat.
She sang him a song
Both loving and long,
But he said, "You can't fool me like that!"

D was a Dainty old Dog,
Who every day drank an egg nog.
He took it, he said,
To steady his head
In case there could come up a fog!

E was an Eminent Elephant
Who invented a thing called a telephant.
When they asked, "What's it for?"
He replied: "Such a bore,
To be pestered with questions irrelevant!"

F was a Frivolous Fawn
Who gave a soirée on the lawn.
He played on the flute
And sang to a lute,
But the guests would do nothing but yawn.

G was a Greedy old Goat
Who ate up his master's best coat.
He stood by with a leer
While they searched far and near
And remarked: "They seem rather afloat!"

H was a Hopeful young Horse
Who was brought up on love without force.
He had his own way,
And they sugared his hay,
So he never was naughty, of course!

I was an Idle Ichneumon
Who wanted to learn to play Schumann,
But he found to his pains,
It took talent and brains,
And neither possessed this Ichneumon.

J was a Jaunty Jaguar
Who once took a ride in a car,
But when asked for his fare,
Gave a growl and a stare,
And remarked: "That is going too far!"

K was a Keen Kangaroo
Who painted his children sky-blue.
When his wife said: "My dear,
Don't you think they look queer?"
He replied, "I'm not sure but they do."

L was a Lively old Lion
Whose conduct no man could rely on,
For he'd smile and look sweet
At the people he'd meet,
And be thinking which one he should fly on!

M was a Merry young Mink
Who went in to skate at a rink,
But he said that the ice
Was too hard to be nice,
And too smooth to allow him to think.

N was a Naïve Nylghau
Who would take his tea through a straw.
When his aunt said, "I think
'Twould be better to drink,"
He replied, "You had better withdraw!"

O was an Obese Old Ox
Who wanted to learn how to box.
A teacher he hired,
Who nearly expired
At the first of his terrible knocks!

P was a Prosy old Pig
Who complained that his brain was too big.
He felt it, he said,
Inside of his head—
Which was certainly strange, for a pig!

Q was a Quarrelsome Quagga
Who made a great bluster and swagger,
But what was quite queer,
When danger was near,
No trace could be found of the bragger!

R was a Rowdy young Rabbit
Who had a most terrible habit.
When he saw any food
Which appeared to him good,
He would rise from his chair and just grab it.

S was a Senseless old Sheep
Who spent all his time half asleep.
He was thinking, he said,
When he nodded his head,
But his friends though that tale rather steep.

T was a Terrible Tiger
Whose name was Abdullah Meshigah.
For lunch he would eat
Forty-two kinds of meat
And his postal address was "The Niger."

U was a Unique Unicorn
Who tried to peek over his horn.
He said he saw more
Than he e'er did before,
But it made him feel rather forlorn.

V was a Verdant old Viper
Who let himself out as a piper,
But so badly he played,
That the dancers all said
They would wait till his talents were riper.

W's a Wan little Weasel
Who spent all his days at his easel.
His friends came to see
What they thought was a tree,
But he called it a "Study of Teasel."

X, Y, and Z were three creatures
With all sorts of fabulous features.
They had talons and claws
And fiery jaws,
But their names haven't happened to reach us!