{
 "id": "t-s-eliot/the-hippopotamus",
 "title": "The Hippopotamus",
 "poet": "T. S. Eliot",
 "poet_slug": "t-s-eliot",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems",
 "book_slug": "poems-1920",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 7,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1920,
  "venue": "Poems (1920)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/poems19091925030616mbp"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
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  "repo": "standardebooks/t-s-eliot_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
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   "https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009592742",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1321",
   "https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001835100",
   "https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100218549",
   "https://archive.org/details/poems19091925030616mbp",
   "https://archive.org/details/collectedpoems1900elio",
   "https://www.fadedpage.com/showbook.php?pid=20200705",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemswritteninea00elio",
   "https://theworld.com/~raparker/exploring/tseliot/works/poems/eliot-harvard-poems.html"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-12"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 36,
  "n_stanzas": 9,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 38,
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "The broad-backed hippopotamus",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Rests on his belly in the mud;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Although he seems so firm to us",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He is merely flesh and blood.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Flesh-and-blood is weak and frail,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Susceptible to nervous shock;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While the True Church can never fail",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For it is based upon a rock.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The hippo’s feeble steps may err",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In compassing material ends,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While the True Church need never stir",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To gather in its dividends.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The ’potamus can never reach",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The mango on the mango-tree;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But fruits of pomegranate and peach",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Refresh the Church from over sea.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "At mating time the hippo’s voice",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Betrays inflections hoarse and odd,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But every week we hear rejoice",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Church, at being one with God.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The hippopotamus’s day",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Is passed in sleep; at night he hunts;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "God works in a mysterious way⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Church can sleep and feed at once.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "I saw the ’potamus take wing",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ascending from the damp savannas,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And quiring angels round him sing",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The praise of God, in loud hosannas.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Blood of the Lamb shall wash him clean",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And him shall heavenly arms enfold,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Among the saints he shall be seen",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Performing on a harp of gold.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "He shall be washed as white as snow,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "By all the martyr’d virgins kiss,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While the True Church remains below",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Wrapt in the old miasmal mist.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}