I Wish I Weren'T a Penguin

I WISH I WEREN’T A PENGUIN by JOHN M. ARRIBAS I wish I were a penguin in a warm protected land The sunny Galapagos islands, where I could lie and tan Compete with marine iguanas for a visitors attention Where guides are paid to be alert n offer me protection Yes, that’s the location that I’ve always envisioned Not in this desolate place where I am duly imprisoned Yes, you guessed it, I’m here in the south Atlantic Any venture out to sea becomes so problematic Seas here are overcrowded with voracious eaters Claiming the right to consider penguins as feeders Orcas, leopard seals, great whites always on the prowl One misstep and you’ll find yourself in their bowels Fortunately, I’m not an emperor nor am I a king They are giants, I’m just a little black n white thing They are hardy meals for those insatiable types But I’m so much quicker I cruise right past the bites When its time for me to eat and I have to take a dive Launching myself off the ice, I hope I will survive Here’s more bad news winter here is brutally cold Tempts below zero, ice on your nose, a sight to behold Oh. I forgot to mention we have accompanying gales So strong and persistent we’re blown about like sails This environment is no place to grow old and content I want a new existence and a life better spent I decided a long time ago what I wished to be Live in the tropics as a humming bird, a Colibri Sucking sweet nectar all year round I can get it easily even when hovering upside down What about my colors a mixture across the spectrum I’m getting hungry now, I think I’ll go for a swim