Tiger Riding for Beginners

Traveling Poet Philosopher & Occasional Wiseacre

The Crocodile has a toothy smile,
  And, Oh My, is he so proud of it.
 I'll sing his praises (play Croc-o-phile)
  As long as I'm ten feet above it.

The Leopard cannot change its spots;
 Maybe an obese Cheetah can
 Blot out all of those old, black dots
 With an orange cheese powder tan.

the heron stares at
 the unwitting egret’s back:
  unfond of flatmate?

a bird absconds
 with a tree's last few leaves
  for its Winter nest.

a tree looms
 over the valley; 
  beloved of hawks.

rain patters
 in the rice paddy;
  a frog croaks.

Fish mill about the koi pond --
   No hooks or fishnets;
 Just falling leaves to break up
    Hours into minutes.

bushy black tail
 waves frantically:
  squirrel alarm.

drying cormorant
 folds up its wings, resigned
  to grounding by rain.

a starling stomps,
 like a masked bandit, 
  across dusty earth.