Best Puffer Poems
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh, my.
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh why?
Lions and Tigers and Bears are not really all that scary to me,
When we read the facts about other animals in tropical forests, and under the sea.
We should change the song to this little tune:
Puffer Fish, Golden poison dart frog and the tsetse fly, oh my.
Puffer Fish, Golden poison dart frog and the tsetse fly, oh why?
These little creatures are as scary as the cone snail which is no cartoon.
The cone snail has a hypodermic-like needle with venom, shaped like a harpoon.
So if you see a cone shell, on a beautiful beach,
Remind yourself it may be alive, before you reach.
If you are in a rain forest, and you see the cutest little golden frog hopping through,
Know before you pocket it that it weighs less than an ounce, but has enough poison to kill you.
The golden poison dart frog could take you out, and nine of your favorite fellow travelers too.
The toxin, which comes out of her sweet little skin,
could show you all what a mood she is in.
The puffer fish is clumsy, and slow, and cannot readily hide.
But his toxins are more deadly than twelve hundred spoons of cyanide.
Lions, tigers, and bear, oh my.
Better them than the puffer fish, golden dart frog, cone snail, and the tsetse fly.
I went out with my dad today, to swim beneath the sea.
He took me by the hand and said ‘just stay right next to me’.
We stepped out to the water and we swam out on a wave,
I was nervous and excited but I tried to be so brave.
I grabbed his hand and looked below, my mask against my face,
I floated like an astronaut, just like in outer space.
At first I saw the ocean floor, with sand and rocks and reef,
and then my eyes beheld a world that seemed beyond belief…
Coral making strange new shapes with lots of little spaces,
and I could see all sorts of things were living in those places.
I saw some little Tiger Barbs, swimming ‘round an eel,
I couldn’t wait to tell my mom how great it made me feel.
Next, we swam to where the water started getting deep,
We came upon a turtle and we woke him from his sleep.
He turned to take a look at us and slowly swam away,
I hope I get to see him when I dive again some day.
There were so many creatures, so many things to see,
I forgot that I was swimming and simply felt so free.
I saw a pair of Goatfish, found a Trigger Fish, or two,
I saw a shrimp of red and white, deep in the ocean blue.
I got a little cold and asked my dad to go to shore.
He turned around and headed back and said to watch for more.
I was thinking we had seen it all when I finally got my wish;
to my surprise we came across a great big Puffer Fish!
He lumbered out of hiding and we followed him a while.
I wonder if he watched me back and if he saw me smile.
Well, we finally made it back to shore and on the sandy beach,
Excited that the ocean was no longer out of reach.
I can’t wait to go again, to see the fish below,
I think I’ll ask my friends next time if they would like to go.
I’d like to come back as a puffer fish.
It is most truly my favorite wish.
With poison tipped spine.
I’d feel quite fine.
Don’t turn me into a dangerous dish.
That poor big bad wolf
lying there, licking his wounds
plotting revenge soon...
fixed his huffer and puffer ~
pigs filled his stocking stuffer
Winter Baby, Blues
Oh baby you left your boots in Asheville where you
didn’t even get to hike the Blue Ridges before the new
year turned over hittin the drafty door just Iike
all the resolutions that come the same every January
for the frigid air that has to last two weeks straight
or the fleas won’t die off so let the wind’s chilling throes
of cold tear your eyes winking at sparkling on all
the icicles hanging from the house with some becoming
quite massive as each noon’s sun allowed
a thawed drop or two to roll down though never drop
to the earth just as the angels keep our dreams from
being crushed under the mounds of drifting
snow so don’t groan baby because you left your
puffer coat at the airport when you ran to get on the plane
where your mittens now remain under your
seat waiting to warm another’s fingers so
then let me wrap your scarf all around you with our plans
for hot cocoa and quilts to stop sweet baby winter’s blues