We like to see the way they look Within their home, the zoo-- Perhaps they like (Why shouldn't they?) To see how we look, too!
So let's go see the monkeys And let the monkeys see Margery, Mehitabel, Marian, and me!
A trip to the zoo usually means we stare at the animals, but Mary Carolyn Davies flips that idea around in just eight lines. The speaker admits that people like to see how animals look "within their home," then asks a playful question: why wouldn't the animals enjoy looking at us too? The parenthetical "(Why shouldn't they?)" feels like a child's logic, so simple that it's hard to argue with.
The second stanza turns this into an invitation. Let's visit the monkeys, the speaker says, and let the monkeys look back at the visitors, who are named with a bouncy run of names: Margery, Mehitabel, Marian, and me. The repeated "M" sounds make the group seem like a cheerful little parade. The mood is light, friendly, and a bit mischievous. There's no lecture here, only a gentle nudge to imagine the zoo from the other side of the bars, where humans are the curious sight.