Twenty-First Beginning: A Very Old Bedtime Story

[written for my middle son, who is 34, now]

Eric and you

And an elephant, too

All went for a ride

In a fine kangee-roo.


And it hopped 

    And it hopped

          And it hopped

     And it hopped


And it hopped

     And it hopped

          And it hopped

                Then it stopped.


And where did it stop?

After those hops?

This fine kangee-roo,

It stopped at the zoo.


And it played a kazoo,

Yes, a purple kazoo,

For Eric and you

And the elephant, too.


And the zookeeper let all of you go right through.


And when you were through,

This fine kangee-roo

Gave you the kazoo,

And you blew and you blew.


And the peacocks all flew

From the sounds that you blew,

But the bears laughed and danced

And made mulligan stew.


And the porcupine taught you

A game that he knew

While the elephant threw

A quick horseshoe or two

With three zebras, two aardvarks, and one old, old gnu.


And you stayed and you played

And you played and you stayed

Until zebras and aardvarks,

Porcupines, gnus, and bears

Had all settled their heads

In their beds in their lairs.


And then Eric and you

And the elephant, too,

All rode your way home

In the fine kangee-roo.


Yes you hopped your way home just as quick as one-two.


And you settled your heads

In your own little beds.

And you told me you loved me.

And I love you, too.