What is Hogan's Goat?
DESPITE THE DISMAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT SEEM TO BE PRESENT IN THE USE OF THIS PARTICULAR PHRASE, THE STORY OF HOGAN'S GOAT IS A STORY OF LONG ODDS. IT IS A STORY OF SURVIVAL; PUNCTUATED BY HUMOR AND IRONY.
Old Hogan's Goat,
Was feeling fine,
He ate my shirts right off the line,
I took a stick,
And broke his back,
And tied him to a railroad track,
A speeding train,
Came speeding by,
Old Hogan's Goat was sure to die,
He gave a shriek,
A shriek of pain,
Coughed up the shirts and FLAGGED DOWN THE TRAIN!