My Dad's a Hippopotamus (a poetry re-issue)

MY DAD’S A HIPPOPOTAMUS
by
Greg Pincus

My dad’s a hippopotamus.
He’s dad to quite a lot of us.
You think that’s strange? I don’t know why,
Since we’re all hippopotami.

We’re friends with a rhinoceros,
Who I think looks preposterous.
I’m glad that I don’t spend time bein’
Something so rhinocerian.

We live next to a crocodile.
He’s over there on his own isle.
He’s got big bumps on each short limb.
I’m glad that I don’t look like him.

We also know a chimpanzee,
The strangest creature that you’ll see.
Those gangly arms look out of place,
And I would never want his face.

Right nearby’s an ocelot.
He likes to mew and roar a lot.
With spots and splotches hard to miss,
I think he looks ridiculous.

But there’s one creature that we see
That’s most absurd. We all agree.
It comes to visit at our zoo.
And... oh... how sad! It looks like you.


For reasons unknown to me, this poem has been stuck in my head lately. I figured that was a good reason to re-post it (it first appeared here in April of 2008) You can see what else folks are up to if you head on over to the Poetry Friday roundup (hosted by Laura Purdie Salas).

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Punxatawney Phil Sees His Shadow - a Groundhog Day poem

Punxatawney Phil Sees His Shadow
by
Greg Pincus

You say “Boo! More snow and gloom.”
But me? I think it’s cool -
More winter means that there’s more chance
Of a snow day off from school!


And a Happy Groundhog Day to you all, whether you're for or against the predicted six more weeks o' winter.

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You Can't Keep the News from the Gnus -- a very silly poem/a gnu poem

YOU CAN'T KEEP THE NEWS FROM THE GNUS
by
Gregory K.

The new zookeeper called the zoo’s gnu keeper
And asked, “Have the gnus heard the news?
We’re getting new gnus
From a slew of new zoos
In a deal we just couldn’t refuse.”

The zoo’s gnu keeper told the new zookeeper,
“We needed new gnus at the zoo!
But I’m telling you
When I told each zoo gnu
The new gnu news the gnus said they knew!”


(This has been dubbed "the silliest poem" I've written by someone who has read most everything I've written. I take that as high praise!)

I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Cat-- a cat poem/a cat Fib

It's my first Fib of April (a few days after the second anniversary of Fibbery!)....

CAT
by
Gregory K.

Purr.
Purr.
I’m Cat.
Stretch and groom.
Sleep deep… and then zooooom!
Chasing something only I know.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

My Dad's A Hippopotamus -- an animal poem/a zoo poem/a point of view poem

MY DAD’S A HIPPOPOTAMUS
by
Gregory K.


My dad’s a hippopotamus.
He’s dad to quite a lot of us.
You think that’s strange? I don’t know why,
Since we’re all hippopotami.

We’re friends with a rhinoceros,
Who I think looks preposterous.
I’m glad that I don’t spend time bein’
Something so rhinocerian.

We live next to a crocodile.
He’s over there on his own isle.
He’s got big bumps on each short limb.
I’m glad that I don’t look like him.

We also know a chimpanzee,
The strangest creature that you’ll see.
Those gangly arms look out of place,
And I would never want his face.

Right nearby’s an ocelot.
He likes to mew and roar a lot.
With spots and splotches hard to miss,
I think he looks ridiculous.

But there’s one creature that we see
That’s most absurd. We all agree.
It comes to visit at our zoo.
And...oh... how sad! It looks like you.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

A Bird's Perspective -- a point of view poem

A BIRD'S PERSPECTIVE
by
Gregory K.

"Everyone came to my bash," said the bird.
"I'm adored, as this party confirms.
Nobody hates me.
Everybody likes me.
I guess that I'll go eat some worms!"

(I'm posting an original poem-a-day through April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and there are lots of others, because poetry is NOT just for April) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".)

The Fowl Ball -- a party poem

THE FOWL BALL
by
Gregory K.

I went to the Fowl Ball
Held at stately Barnyard Hall.
The Chicken came. The Duck did not.
The Pheasant danced the Turkey Trot.
The Rooster grabbed the microphone.
The Hen performed on slide trombone.
We laughed and played, a happy group....
And danced until we flew the coop.


(I'm posting an original poem-a-day through April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and there are lots of others, because poetry is NOT just for April) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".)

A Cuckoo Story -- a clock poem

Aha! I'm an early participant in Poetry Friday this week. Or early in my time zone, anyway. So, with no further ado (and really, I'm not sure there was any ado at all), here's my contribution....


A CUCKOO STORY
by
Gregory K.

Our cuckoo bird has flown away,
I guess to join his flock.
So now up there upon our wall,
We have an emu clock.

(for your procrastinatory pleasure, links to this and other poems here on GottaBook are collected to the right under the headline "The Poems".)

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!