Can't Be Called



It can't be called a centipede if it has no feet.
It can't be called a sugar pie if it isn't sweet.
It can't be called a porcupine if it has no prick.
It can't be called a miracle if it is a trick.
It can't be called a mosquito if it doesn't bite.
It can't be called a jet aircraft if it is a kite.
It can't be called a crocodile if it has no jaws.
It can't be called a giftless eve if there's Santa Clause.
It can't be called an elephant if it has no trunk.
It can't be called a treasure trove if it's worthless junk.
It can't be called a cockatoo if it has no voice.
It can't be called a bumper-car if it's a Rolls Royce.
It can't be called a bumblebee if it has no sting.
It can't be called a silver bell if it doesn't ring.
It can't be called a moccasin if it doesn't swim.
It can't be called a litany if it's not a hymn.
It can't be called a kangaroo if it doesn't jump.
It can't be called a citadel if it's just a dump.
It can't be called an albatross if it doesn't fly.
It can't be called cerulean sea if there's no blue sky.
Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Submitted on February 05, 2010

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:14 min read
3

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 1,013
Words 217
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 20

Wallace Dean LaBenne

Professor, therapist, author and poet. more…

All Wallace Dean LaBenne poems | Wallace Dean LaBenne Books

5 fans

Discuss the poem Can't Be Called with the community...

0 Comments

    Translation

    Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Can't Be Called" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/67697/can't-be-called>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    More poems by

    Wallace Dean LaBenne

    »

    May 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    20
    days
    3
    hours
    52
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Do not go gentle into that good _______. Rage, rage against the dying of the light
    A day
    B end
    C fire
    D night