---
title: And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street
tags:
  - authorship/other
  - exclude-from-word-count
  - type/media/poetry
author: Dr. Seuss
date: 1937
up: "[[poetry]]"
---
# And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street

When I leave home to walk to school, \
Dad always says to me, \
"Marco, keep your eyelids up \
And see what you can see."

But when I tell him where I've been \
And what what I think I've seen, \
He looks at me and sternly says, \
"Your eyesight's much too keen.

"Stop telling such outlandish tales. \
Stop turning minnows into whales."

Now, what can I say \
When I get home today?

\

All the long way to school \
And all the way back, \
I've looked and I've looked \
And I've kept careful track, \
But all that I've noticed, \
Except my own feet, \
Was a horse and a wagon \
On Mulberry Street.

\

That's nothing to tell of, \
That won't do, of course . . . \
Just a broken-down wagon \
That's drawn by a horse.

That _can't_ be my story. That's only a _start_. \
I'll say that a ZEBRA was pulling that cart! \
And that is a story that no one can beat, \
When I say that I saw it on Mulberry Street.

\

Yes, the zebra is fine, \
But I think it's a shame, \
Such a marvelous beast \
With a cart that's so tame. \
The story would really be better to hear \
If the driver I saw were a charioteer. \
A gold and blue chariot's _something_ to meet, \
Rumbling like thunder down Mulberry Street!

\

No, it won't do at all... \
A zebra's too small.

A reindeer is better; \
He's fast and he's fleet,

And he'd look mighty smart \
On old Mulberry Street.

\

Hold on a minute! \
There's something wrong!

A reindeer hates the way it feels \
To pull a thing that runs on wheels.

He'd be much happier, instead, \
If he could pull a fancy sled.

\

Hmmmm . . . \
A reindeer and sleigh . . .

Say---_anyone_ could think of that, \
Jack or Fred ог Joe or Nat--- \
Say, even Jane could think of _that_.

But it isn't too late to make one little change \
A sleigh and an ELEPHANT! _There's_ something strange!

I'll pick one with plenty of power and size, \
A blue one with plenty of fun in his eyes. \
And then, just to give him a little more tone, \
Have a Rajah, with rubies, perched high on a throne.

Say! That makes a story that _no one_ can beat, \
When I say that I saw it on Mulberry Street.

\

But now I don't know... \
It still doesn't seem right.

An elephant pulling a thing that's so light \
Would whip it around in the air like a kite.

But he'd look simply grand \
With a great big brass band!

\

A band that's so good should have someone to hear it, \
But it's going so fast that it's hard to keep near it. \
ГІЇ put on a trailer! I know they won't mind \
If a man sits and listens while hitched on behind.

But now is it fair? Is it fair what I've done? \
I'll bet those wagons weigh more than a ton. \
That's really too heavy a load for one beast; \
I'll give him some helpers. He needs two, at least.

\

But now what worries me is this . . \
Mulberry Street runs into Bliss.

Unless there's something I can fix up, \
There'll be an awful traffic mix-up!

\

It takes Police to do the trick, \
То guide them through where traffic's thick--- \
It takes Police to do the trick.

They'll never crash now. They'll race at top speed \
With Sergeant Mulvaney, himself, in the lead.

\

The Mayor is there \
And the Aldermen too, \
All waving big banners \
Of red, white and blue.

The Mayor is there \
And he thinks it is grand, \
And he raises his hat \
As they dash by the stand.

And that is a story that NO ONE can beat \
When I say that I saw it on Mulberry Street!

\

With a roar of its motor an airplane appears \
And dumps out confetti while everyone cheers

And that makes a story that's really not bad! \
But it still could be better. Suppose that I add . . . . . . .

\

A Chinaman \
Who eats with sticks. . . .

A big Magician \
Doing tricks . . .

A ten-foot beard \
That needs a comb. . . .

No time for more, \
I'm almost home.

\

I swung 'round the corner \
And dashed through the gate, \
I ran up the steps \
And I felt simply GREAT!

FOR I HAD A STORY THAT **NO ONE** COULD BEAT! \
AND TO THINK THAT I SAW IT ON MULBERRY STREET!

But Dad said quite calmly, \
"Just draw up your stool \
And tell me the sights \
On the way home from school."

There was so much to tell, I JUST COULDN'T BEGIN! \
Dad looked at me sharply and pulled at his chin. \
He frowned at me sternly from there in his seat, \
"Was there nothing to look at . . . no people to greet? \
Did _nothing_ excite you or make your heart beat?"

\

"Nothing," I said, growing red as a beet, \
"But a plain horse and wagon on Mulberry Street."