Apple of my eye,

With a face so sweet,

A love so deep,

A family now complete.

A coat that glows like the summer sun,

Golden and bright,

As you run and run.

Zooming through the fields,

Never once outrun.

Bounding with joy until the day is done.

Your paw—

A print forever on my heart,

A loyal friend, right from the start.

I dread the day we’ll have to part,

But forever you’ll stay,

With every...

(Special thanks to Amorie who suggested draft 44. Each stanza is a different animal! See how many you can guess!)

———

Jumping in the trees

Grabbing branches with a tail

Maybe they have fleas

But they pick them off

With a practiced ease

Soaring through the breeze

Bright crimson flashes

Singing, hitting the right keys

Most beautiful against the snow

Where they don’t even freeze

I have a stuffed ...

His little trunk

Gets a dunk

In the water he plays in

At dusk

Ivory tusks

Peeking through his gums

His floppy right ear

Can hear

The bothersome fly buzzing around him

He gives his head a shake

The earth beneath will quake

When he reaches his adult size

Nothing will escape his eyes...

You must look up to me,

Yet my feet are on the ground,

You must pet me,

Yet not all of me at once,

You must call me over,

I will come to you,

You must feed me,

I like it when you do.

I am gentle and quiet,

Not a sound I do make,

I can run like the wind

I can bend like a snake

I can make children smile with a twist and a turn

I can make adults laugh with my animal charm

I love open fields

I lo...

claws sharp and long

legs quick and strong

a shady place

is where you lay

but in the sun

you tend to run

and with great will

you make the kill

that’s how you live

that’s how you lie

throughout the day

into the night...

Oh how I love the sound

As your hoofs hit the ground

Thunder it seems some would say

But to me it’s music to my ears it plays

Trot or canter, gallop or buck

My favourite pet, from first ride, you stuck

~Fortis...

In shadows deep, it roams unseen, With eyes that gleam, a silent dream. Through verdant woods and moonlit glen, It moves with grace, beyond our ken.In feathered cloak or fur so fine, It dances lightly, in twilight's shine. Its song a whisper on the breeze, A melody that sways the trees.With nimble feet and steady pace, It weaves through time and empty space. A creature of both earth and air, With ...

It lives in the jungles

It climbs up the trees

It pounces on its prey

And it rustles through the leaves

It’s as dark as the night and as gorgeous as the day

Even though it’s dangerous I wouldn’t stay away

It’s sharp teeth may be threatening and it’s size may be a fright

But just because its dangerous doesn’t mean it can’t be bright

It’s smart and strategic

It’s fast and its strong

This wonderful f...

the creature gasps for air

choking

spluttering

_what kind of jellyfish was that?_

__

it wonders

before sinking

down, down

into the deep, dark abyss

with the rest of its friends...

Cute, fuzzy, fluffy are some words to describe

This small creature not easy to disguise

They groom themselves and shed their fur

When content they start to purr

Designed to evade and confuse

Box with their front legs when in a dispute

Communication is via a secret code

Living underground is the preferred abode

Twist of the body, kick of the feet

Performing an athletic leap

A single one is a lon...