Learn about the endangered tree octopus, which inspired Donna's poems!
And now read the Snopes article about it. :)
Octopus’ Adventure
An octopus climbed out on land
Away from his home in the sea
And the one thing he wanted to do
Was climb eight-armed up a tree.
He scanned the skies overhead
Remarked on it’s light aqua hue
And pondered the eiders in flight
Who also duck-dove in deep blue.
In the branches he spied a gray spider
With eight legs as he, only smaller,
She was building a web to catch lunch
Like the net of a fisherman’s trawler.
Then he climbed down to wet his whistle,
Where he grabbed a salt-free iced drink,
He chose lemonade with a cherry,
Then he lifted eight glasses to clink.
An octopus on land would be marvelous
An exciting sight to behold
But an octopus wouldn’t remain here
Out of water - deep, dark and cold.
Oxygen in air is useless,
To an octopus out of his reef.
He must return to his world soon
He can hold his breath, but it’s brief!
Away from his home in the sea
And the one thing he wanted to do
Was climb eight-armed up a tree.
He scanned the skies overhead
Remarked on it’s light aqua hue
And pondered the eiders in flight
Who also duck-dove in deep blue.
In the branches he spied a gray spider
With eight legs as he, only smaller,
She was building a web to catch lunch
Like the net of a fisherman’s trawler.
Then he climbed down to wet his whistle,
Where he grabbed a salt-free iced drink,
He chose lemonade with a cherry,
Then he lifted eight glasses to clink.
An octopus on land would be marvelous
An exciting sight to behold
But an octopus wouldn’t remain here
Out of water - deep, dark and cold.
Oxygen in air is useless,
To an octopus out of his reef.
He must return to his world soon
He can hold his breath, but it’s brief!
-------------------
Numbered Arms
One arm shaded eyes
as he scanned the skies
another held onto a limb
(the kind on a tree)
Two arms on hips…
or were they his lips
the fifth scratched under his chin
(where would that be?)
Number six grasped a flower
his symbol of power -
to stay out of water was brave!
(or foolhardy)
Seven wiped tears from eyes
then eight waved good-bye,
as he slipped back under the waves.
(pool party!)
------------
Ha! He lifted eight glasses (in the first poem). :) And I especially love the parentheticals in the second poem. Thank you, Donna, for introducing me to this (fake) species!
How fun! Thank you, Donna, for sharing this mini-course on Octopus paxarbolis. I like "He can hold his breath, but it’s brief!" Such a bravely foolhardy creature! (I had to laugh that the paxarbolis progenitor says that of course they are real: "Would someone with a website lie to you?")
ReplyDeleteOh glory Donna! I needed this lift.
ReplyDeleteHad not heard of this onto-foolery & love your fun with it.
Which is SO in the spirit of Irene's Agnes!
OCTO-foolery .... not onto....
ReplyDelete