“The Pelican” (1910) by Dixon Lanier Merritt
A wonderful bird is a pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week;
But I’m damned if I see how the helican.
Note 1: This poem is often mistakenly attributed to Ogden Nash.
Note 2: Click on the poem title for a slideshow of pelican images.