Of Animals and Homophones

Polar bears are from the north,

They live upon the floes,

And every morning they set forth,

To go where their nose knows.

Polar bears have bright white hair,

And bright white tip toes too,

But in the snow and frozen air,

Bare bears are surely blue!

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Once I found a baby deer,

She let me pat and feel her,

I moved her into forests near,

Where woods would then conceal her.

She became a lovely doe,

She never tried to flee,

And over time I’ve watched her grow,

She’s a dear, dear deer to me!

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Arctic hares’ lives are remote,

So in keeping with the times,

They change their dazzling, fluffy coats,

The warmer the clime climbs.

They are pure white in winter snow,

Dull grey in summer and spring,

The clever things just seem to know,

That a hare’s hair must blend in!

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The aye-aye is distinctly strange,

With long fingers that let her

Reach bugs and grubs beyond her range,

There’s no hunting method better.

The Madagascan aye-aye,

Has fur of brown or black,

And see there in the tree up high,

The aye-aye’s eyes look back!

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To pandas we must cater,

When they desire their bamboo,

Every one requires a waiter,

To bring stalks they choose to chew.

They roll around in food galore,

So their keepers speak with candour

“If you wish to wait no more,

“Never pander to a panda!”

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Stallions seem to use their voice,

To neigh at every mare,

But a sore throat is no one’s choice,

So they’re paying their fair fare.

They storm and shout, but facts are facts,

Their throats are worn and weak,

Soreness stops them in their tracks,

For a hoarse horse cannot speak!

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The sea and all the whales therein,

Be it humpback, blue, or right,

Pilot, minke, narwhal, fin,

Or sei says it’s their delight,

To let their chorus boom so clear,

It’s not just voices ringing,

Or a giant groan that you mishear,

Whale wails are oceans singing!

-

Here I’ve used a whit of wit,

A piece of peace unsung,

To lessen the lesson a little bit,

So as not to knot your tongue.

It almost feels as though one’s won,

To write right in this way,

So before this tale tails off undone,

Good buy, goodbye, I’ll say!