Zoo!

I attended my critique group and received very good feedback on my poem Zoo. I really like this critique group - they are quite helpful. I likewise spend time on my critique of their works; mostly they write short stories or chapters or novels, which are fun to read. Here's the next material revision of my original poem, Zoo.

I LOVE this version and am working with Marisol Brown on the illustrations.

Matty and Mommy

Zoo

by Becca Brown

I’m two and a half
and I love the zoo
I’ve been to five zoos
that’s a lot, how about you?

I see new animals
each time that I go
Today I say “Roar”
to the lion, you know

I call “Rawer" to the tiger
as she walks ‘round and ‘round
Her baby cubs wrestle
around on the ground

Mama elephant I see
has a cute baby calf
Together they play
with their trunks and I laugh

I try to crawl over
the wooden blockade
to touch the giraffe
as he runs to the shade

Twin cotton-top tamarins
play tag in the tree
At home my big my sister
chases me - “weee”!

The Flamingo flock dances
in a pink flowy pack
I say “MOMMY, FLAMINGO!”
they honk to me back

The Camel is steadfast
she just will not budge
from behind baby calf
gives her mama a nudge

The butterflies flutter
with colors so bright
I reach out to touch one
up high in the light

I do love the zoo
I don’t want to go
I guess I have to
I’m tired, you know

What is your favorite animal at the zoo?

Matty and Mommy: Zoo

I love zoos; and I suspect that Matty will, too, since I always take him. He's been to the Hanover Zoo (Germany) twice, the Franklin Park Zoo (Boston) once, and the DC Zoo once - all before he was 18 months old! This poem is a compilation of the three but really most of the animals mentioned are at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston.

Matty and Mommy
Zoo

by Becca Brown

I’m one and a half
and I love the zoo

I’ve been to five zoos
that’s a lot, how about you?

I see new animals
each time that I go

Today I say “Roar”
to the lion, you know

I say “Rawer” to the tiger
as she walks ‘round and ‘round

Her tiger cubs wrestle
around on the ground

The mamma elephant
has a cute baby calf

Together they play ball
with their trunks and I laugh

As tall as the sky,
the giraffe whizzes by

The hippo is so cute
but he swims in his poop

The baby cotton-top tamarin
has a crib in the tree

The flamingos squeak
run together with glee

The Camel knows
The kangaroo hops

The penguins scuttle
The crocodile chops

The python slithers
The butterlies flutter

The peacock dithers
The prarie dogs putter

The gorilla sleeps
The tortoise he’s slow

The bats see in the dark
I’m tired now, you know

What is your favorite animal at the zoo?