The Door

rectangular and
tall and stout
thru it we
go in and out

a door can be
closed, or open
or slammed shut
when we be copin’

The Night Sky

when the day is done and I
have finished all the things
I go outside and take a look
at all the star twinkilings

the moon it glows in the dark
lighting up the night
so all the stray animals
will find their way alright

I don’t need going out somewhere
or driving really far
I’d rather sit and hope to see
a zooming shooting star

The Cicada

now here’s an insect
with patience profound
seventeen years
in the ground

where will it molt?
time will tell
as evidenced by
the crunchy shell

on summer nights
lend your ear
cicada song
you will hear

The Hummingbird

iridescent
nectar sipper
compact buzzy
flower flipper

hover baby
petal doter
nature’s little
sparkle motor

The Box

what’s inside?
a ferret, a fox?
or maybe colored
aquarium rocks

folded nice
and taped real good
it has stuff in it
like a good box should

The Camel

noble animal
from desert lands
strong and loyal
ship of the sands

faithfully you
go the distance
sandstorm gives you
no resistance

blazing sun
growing hotter
you travel long
without water

your eyelashes are long
and smile is sweet
oh, before I forget
your humps are neat

The Rainbow

bands of color
in the sky
vibrant ribbon
arching high

red as roses
orange so keen
yellow daisy
turtle green

ocean blue
indigo fine
violet hue
colorful shine

The Rhino

big and tough
skin so rough
with one fat horn
and physique so buff

animals yield
when it stomps thru field
sort of like a smaller dino
is our sturdy friend the rhino

The Fart

noxious bubble
make it stop
here it comes
methane pop

The Wolf

canine comrades
in packs go they
making meals of
smaller prey

alpha dogs
howl in tune
at the glowing
midnight moon

The Chicken

barnyard bawker
cluck and strut
you lay eggs
from your butt

beak of yellow
feathers white
you might be
my dinner tonight

The Squid

bizarre fellow
of the deep
some may think
you are a creep

with one big eye
you look intense
shooting ink
for your defense

you’re often hunted
in ocean safari
your tentacles
calamari

you are strangely
beautiful to me
alien cyclops
of the sea

The Penguin

awkward oblong
flightless bird
snowbound bumbler
arctic nerd

waddles slowly
on the ice
huddles close
friends are nice

keeping warm
is the goal
when your home
is the North Pole

The Sunrise

waking up
sleepy sky
colors warming
night goodbye

the sun comes forth
not late, or too soon
trading places
with the moon

rays of sunlight
on display
lighting up
brand new day

The Chocolate

rich and dark
in a wrapper
motivates
daytime napper

if I were an astronaut
zooming thru stars
I would bring
space chocolate bars

The Shark

chompy jaws
ocean fiend
hunting from
the moment weaned

stalking prey
in the reef
with jellyfish tentacles
you floss your teeth

The Dirt

living carpet
made of soil
with iron shovel
farmers toil

nurtures daisies
from seed to bud
if you add water
it turns to mud

appreciating dirt
is a must
for it is earth’s
outer crust

The Avocado

soft and ripe
it is time
mash it up
splash with lime

dash of salt
tortilla chip
scoop it in
guacamole dip

The Tree

trunk of bark
branch of wood
leaf of green
blossoms good

favorite item
in botany department
nature’s own
bird apartment

The Clown

squirty flower
nose bright red
rainbow wig
upon your head

painted smile
juggler of stuff
I think those shoes are
long enough

circus guy
jolly heart
scaring kids
from the start

The Lobster

big red claws
clicky pinch
living in
ocean trench

you better hide
from diving swimmers
they want to catch you
for seafood dinners

so live your days
carefully
you crusty love bug
of the sea

The Grandfather

old and gray
he sits alone
in the corner
of old folks home

he has memories
fading dim
but no one has time
to listen to him 

he has wisdom
and things to share
but no one asks
or seems to care

thoughts to speak
games to play
spend time with
an elder today

The Key

if you’re locked out
of the thing
get a key
on the key ring

opens sealed
metal box
specially designed
to unlock locks

some are silver
others, gold
opens doors
new and old

The Table

consider this
if you’re able
our furniture friend
mr. table

with four legs
and surface flat
where you can eat
your dinner at

you can paint it
with skulls of goth
or cover it with
granny’s tablecloth

and when your food
is chewed and gone
it’s a place
to put stuff on

The Castle

made of mortar
brick and stone
harbors king
on his throne

not accessible
by commoner boat
surrounded by
crocodile moat

noblemen feast
at noonday luncheon
while traitors starve
in the dungeon

in the castle
there looms a tower
to lock up those
who disrupt power

outside the gate
go peasant wagons
steering clear
of occasional dragons

The Oyster

rough and crusty
outer shell
what’s inside?
time will tell

forming pearl
with steady motion
careful jeweler
of the ocean

The Soap

just a bar
on the sink
do you ever
stop and think

how it feels
growing leaner
each time it makes
our hands cleaner

loyally cleansing
dirt and germ, yes
from our grubby
epidermis

The Fossil

fixed in place
bed of limestone
grainy memory
ancient time stone

little leaf print
tiny shell
what old secrets
can you tell?

forever laying
on the ground
how long have you waited
to be found?

The Starfish

twitching on
the ocean floor
do you ever
wish for more?

are you happy
to be alive
with your textured
arms of five?

found on the beach
you bring glee
little animal
star of the sea

The Duck

waddle waddle
bird afloat
like a little
feathered boat

picnic people
bread they pack
so they can feed you

quack

The Hedgehog

prickly pokey
little critter
spiney spikey
tumble fritter

perky ears
pointy nose
you curl up
like bud of rose

The Honey

sticky thick
honey sweet
from the hive
a stolen treat

kept in jars
it won’t get old
tasty amber
liquid gold

The Whale

O, you king
of the deep
what old secrets
do you keep?

have you bumped
pirate ships
and put smiles on
mermaid’s lips?

slowly swimming
living mountain
delight us with
your blow hole fountain!

The Toe

bendy bendy
wiggly bump
because of it
i can jump

it’s good to thank
our toes, they’re friends!
and best of all
they come in tens

The Cactus

way out west
where the cowboys roam
it grows wild
from tumbleweed home

prickly skin
moisture within
if you mistake it for a couch,
ouch

The Monkey

clever silly
playful funky
is our friend
mister monkey

have some laughs
no more frowns
monkeys are
nature’s clowns

The Heart

nestled under
the rib cage
with many arteries
it does engage

pumping blood
is what it does best
happily beating
in your chest

The Snail

swirly spiral
in a shell
is it comfy?
i can’t tell

where are you going
mr. snail?
and are you self-conscious
of your slime trail

The Color Green

lo!
have you seen
the vibrant color
that is green?

limes and pickles
grass that tickles
so many things colored greeny
don’t forget our friend zucchini

leaves of trees
spines of cactus
and sometimes things
that are infectious

The Hermit Crab

a pretty shell
what does it hide?
a little creature
tucked up inside

pinchy pinchy

claws so tiny

beady eyes

cute and spiney

The Color Yellow

o, hello
my name is yellow
I’m a happy
color fellow

canaries, lemons
a buzzing bee
tall sunflowers
and also pp

The Firefly

little glowing
happy bug
lighting up night sky
flickering your twinkly light
only you know why

The Corn

growing tall
in the field
till happy kernels
are revealed

roasted, creamed
popcorn too
it sometimes shows up
in the poo

The Socks

warm and cozy
stitched so neat
they are friends
for your feet

soft and stretchy
spun from cotton
they keep your toes
from smelling rotten

The Pickles

tart and tangy
crunchy sweet
from a jar
they are sweet

vinegar-soaked
sliced real neat
’twas once a cucumber
but now, a treat

The Owl

he sits alone
in the wood
perched way high on limb

the moon is full
the fog is thick
he hoots upon a whim

The Ocean

frothy foam
upon the shore
hinting of
something more
under the waves
and ‘neath the blue
fishies and dolphins
lobsters too
tiny mollusks
coral so bright
the ocean holds
such delight

The Snow

falling softly
in the air
forming icicles
everywhere

puffy frozen
drops of dew
crunching gently
‘neath the shoe

The Doodlebug

roly poly
compact and small
i like it when you
roll into a ball

dinky doodle
tiny bug
wish i could give
you a hug

The Dog

ruff and frisky
with spring-loaded tail
their kissies and lickies
never do fail

with agile paw
and sharpest tooth
are you a good boy?
woof

The Potato

oblong and brown
bumpy and rough
a potato for dinner
is good enough

The Moldy Bread

alone I sit

almost dead

I am a moldy

piece of bread

the mold grows spores

that are unseen

I am rotten

with spots of green

don't despise me

if that's how you're feelin'

cause thanks to mold

we have penicillin

The Cards

jokers, diamonds

a queen for you

in pack of cards

(there's fifty two)

clubs and kings

spades and  aces

you can play cards

in all the places

deal them fair

hearts and jacks

and thoroughly

shuffle stacks

if you're alone

with nobody there

you can play

solitaire

The Elevator

go up now

go down, later

I'm the friendly

elevator

if I stop

to let more on

don't feel shy

they'll soon be gone

my mirrors shine

my floor is glistening

I play music

(easy listening)

when we arrive

at your floor

you'll hear a ding

go out the door

stairs are healthy

this is true

but I just want 

to uplift you

The Hammer

get a nail

I will wham 'er

because I am your

trusty hammer

with me you build

solid and good

working hand in hand

with my friend wood

I will help to repair

the porch where people mingle

and if the wind blows too hard

I'll fix the old roof shingles

when hitting nails on the head

proceed carefully

if you miss, and hit your thumb

please don't yell at me

The Bat

fanged of tooth

black and brown

in the cave

upside down

dropping guano 

like fresh mud

misunderstood flying 

sucker of blood

The Nothing

just a void

empty hole

space of gray

unsuper bowl

i don't know

something never

average thing

ok whatever

The Drum

boom boom tiss

bang on this

The Picture

there's a picture

on the wall

hung with wire

so it won't fall

it's a picture

of some stuff

not great art

but good enough

The House

it has walls

and a floor

windows, roof

chimney and door

it's nothing fancy

but it will do

it is there

to shelter you

The Mariana Trench

where undiscovered

creatures sleep

and it's really 

very deep

The Lemon

round and yellow

happy sour

filled with all the

citrus power

The Walrus

mighty tusks

silver whiskers

portly wobble 

bumble flippers

The Bricks

rectangular

reddish stone

stack them up

make a home