Homage in loose change

Once, a hippopotamus cornered me,

to give tiresome lectures on Christianity;

But the evangelical quadruped gave a scoff,

when I suggested that he go bugger off.

An earlier version of this was posted on DeviantArt by me quite some time ago, then the other day I came across it and in my infinite pedantry came up with a few changes. It's a silly, modest, humble homage to a Mr. T.S. Eliot who as you may know, once wrote a much better poem than this comparing hippos and The Catholic Church.