Lifeboat the Hippo's Tale

Part 4 Now by the end of the day, it was easy to say, The Hippo was gracious and kind. With no desire to offend, it seemed a genuine friend And they were glad not to leave it behind. But the Captain was puzzled and slightly befuddled As he had no recollection of a Hippo on board. He had made several trips checking his ship, Not even sure where one could be stored. So he decided to mention and ask it a question, "Forgive me for tending to pry. But I have to admit, I was all over my ship And no Hippo was there to surmise?" The Hippo addressed to the question so pressed, "We are prone to appear at the flip of a dime. But I see your confusion since I'm just a delusion And will come and go with the passage of time." "We're a little like fog or a cloudy refrain One might hear on the wisp of a breeze. And more often than naught, we are most often sought By troubled minds in the throes of disease." "One minute we're here and a few hours were there And the next moment we fade right away. But you all seem a fine lot, and I do like this spot, So for now... I'm happy to stay." "Just to be clear, the reason I'm here Is to represent both your fears and your hope. And when one or another is mixed with the other, You may find peace while adrift in this boat." "To pass this moment in time, you might enjoy a sly rhyme, Whose ending is as good as its middle." So the Hippo began talking while the boat was a rocking And gave voice to a small taradiddle. ******************* A Turnip and a Cabbage Are walking down the street. This may seem a might peculiar As they hadn't any feet. Before you judge and criticize, I beg your minds to wander. To take a moment just to see On what the herbage ponders. The Cabbage says, "The Sun is out. It makes a lovely day. It is nice to see the other Plants We meet along the way." The Turnip nods approvingly, The Cabbage is its chum. For every day, they walk this way, They both begin to hum. There are no words, no songs they know, They no not how to sing. But they cannot miss what they do not know, So no sadness does it bring. They leave the street and find a trail Leading to a brook. Where they meet a tree, a friend of theirs Looking at a book. "What do you have?" The Turnip says With interest in its voice. "Something bad, you should not see But I leave it to your choice." The Tree hands the book, which Turnip takes While the Cabbage jumps to see. They flip the pages, both in awe. They gasp and ask the Tree, "Where did you get this, such a story, We do not believe our eyes. What Plant would write of such a state, It surely must be lies.?" The Tree responds, "These sad affairs Happened long ago. By a species less developed With little wisdom to bestow. They were unkind, some cruel and dark, Always out for more. They showed no pity and were prone to cheat, They invented a thing called war. They fought each other for shiny objects Over which they fussed. Destroyed themselves, their culture gone, A victim to their lust." The Turnip and the Cabbage Let out a cushioned sigh. But Turnip strains, "I am still confused, What does the book imply?" Tree thinks a bit, "It is Nature's way To cleanse our treasured Earth. To fight disease and cure infections, Saving only things of worth." So to those of you who doubt this tale, Forgive my little rant. But take from this... most people lack... the brains God gave a Plant. ******************** They thanked the Hippo a lot, still not sure of the plot, But a little entertainment was greatly admired. Though it did nothing to address their considerable stress For the rescue they so fervently desired. *Next: The Hunting of the 'Shrill.' *My cartoon 'Bob'e your Uncle' will appear on my homepage. A new one will appear every second day or so.