Rocky Rickaby began to play a symphony
An ode he composed in St. Louis, Missouri
After gifting a lucky card to Calvin McMurray
T'was 3 clovers; his cousin, himself and Ivy.

Like the lucky number 3, the Holy Trinity
A symbol of righteousness, honor and purity
He began to play a tune at good ol' Mississippi
This is the ABCs of Roark Rocky Rickaby.

A is for arson
B is for blackguard
C is for cad
D is for dissention

E is for Eccentricities or epistolary
F is for Firearms, flivvers or flappers
G is for Gangster, gins or gunslingers
H is for Hijinks, humor or holsters

I is for Ignition, incense or instigator
J is for Jostling, jaywalking or jumper
K is for Killjoy, kicks or a kilometer
L is Love, laughter, life on the Lackadaisy

M is for Miss Mitzy May,
for his St. Louis, Missouri,
by the old man river of Mississippi,
N is for Nuance, le pièce de resistance

O is for Ode, an ovation at the speakeasy
P is for Pinstripes, pretentious, peachy
Q is for Quarry, on behalf of Mr. Sable
R is for Rumrunners turning tables

S is for Symphony, a sweet melody
T is for Torpedo Boy, an heavy envoy
U is for Undertaker, unstoppable
V is for Violins, light and nimble

W is for Whiskey, feeling lucky
X is for extravaganza or extra stanzas
Y is Yearning, young and free
Z is for Zib, for his buddy Zibowski.

The alley cat ceased playing the soft melody
And travelled like a gadabout through the city
Before he went back to Little Daisy
This was the ABCs of Rocky Rickaby.