Washday At the Zoo
Washday at the Zoo
Peg out the elephants!
Hang up the hippos!
Let the bison and wildebeest
blow and billow in the wind!
Fluff out your flamingoes
with fabric softeners.
Stick the swans on a pre-wash
and get 'em whiter than white.
Rhinos can go in on 95
and they'll still come out
a disappointing grunge of khaki-grey.
(So much for the blandishments
of the adman).
Do tigers and zebras
on a low cycle
or the stripes will run.
Take care with gerbels,
they're liable to shrink.
Sort out yer primates
and read the labels --
howlers are different from chimps.
Oh! And watch out for snakes!
They tend to slither about
at the bottom of the laundry basket.
One emerald green one
amongst a flock of pastel doves
will cause untold havoc!
Margaret Clerici
Copyright © Margaret Clerici | Year Posted 2009
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