Friday, July 21, 2017

A Rhino-Whine

Poetry Friday, yippee! This week's hostess is Katie at The Logonauts.
 
Today is a Rhino-Whine...inspired when I saw Mary Lee Hahn's post about her stuffed rhino and the book Rhino in the House, the true story of saving Samia by Daniel Kirk.  Now I might have to read Rhinos Don't Eat Pancakes by Anna Kemp, which I discovered when I looked at the Samia book on Amazon.  Reading...writing...learning... it's just a never-ending cycle!
I ordered, on Amazon, the Shel Silverstein book Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros, and bought a stuffed rhino for my grandson when he was here last week. 


BTW: This figure was one I found on the beach between rocks.  He'd been abandoned between a rock and a hard place, so I picked him up off the deserted beach and took him home. 

My grandson, who is now 5 11/12, loves the rescued man, the book and the stuffed animal. It was his idea to recline the man on the rhino's snout (look back at the book and rhino picture), copying the picture on the book cover.   I haven't read him the poem yet.   When they visit in August, I will read it to him.  Hope he brings the rhino for a visit!

A Rhino-Whine

I want a rhino, big and fine;
A rhino that I call all mine!
I’d love her dainty rhinocertoes,
Her very pointy rhinocernose;
Rhino fine,
Rhino mine,
My love is rhino-genuine!

In my bathtub let her brine,
Brush her till she starts to shine!
When we’re finished doing that,
She could don my big sunhat;
Rhino fine,
Rhino mine,
In our deck chairs we’d recline.

Supine in the warm sunshine
Could it be it’s time to dine?
Browsing grass and leaves at brunch
Downing berry pies for lunch
Rhino fine,
Rhino mine,
Gives no thought to her waistline!

I’m in the “Buy a Rhino” line!
I’ll take sweet rhino number nine!
I want that huge rhinoceros,
No matter what the cost to us!
Rhino fine,
Rhino mine,
Remove her “Rhino For Sale” sign!

No longer will I sigh or pine;
No need for her to rhino-whine
This rhino’s coming home with me
For cookies, honey and some tea;
Rhino fine,
Rhino mine,
My world is now rhino-divine!

This distant cousin of equine
That some say looks like Frankenstein
Proves beauty's in beholder’s eye,
I think she's quite a cutie pie!
Rhino fine,
Rhino mine,
Perhaps I’ll name her Valentine!

By Donna JT Smith, July 13, 2017


11 comments:

  1. lol....DELIGHTFUL. You have a sense of play and joy....that really works with the meter and the rhyme. It's hard to pick out a favorite line....but those rhinocertoes make me giggle the most. I imagine how much polish it might take to paint them! Have fun with the grandson. He's a lucky kid!

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    1. I'm such a lucky Nannie! I had fun as a mom but this job is even better!

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  2. Your little anecdote about rehoming the rescued action man reminds me of one of my most cherished childhood toys - I was OBSESSED with My Little Pony toys, and my dad once found one beside a railroad crossing, so he took it home, washed it, trimmed off all the scorched hair into a mohawk, and gave it to me as a punk rock My Little Pony. I ADORED it! ;-)

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    1. That would make a nice little story! Finding that lost treasure and giving it a new life is pretty amazing!

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  3. This is wonderful, Donna. Such fabulous rhymes and I loved hearing about your inspiration and process. Your clever word play reminds me of Ogden Nash, some of whose poems I shared today.

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  4. Wonderful, Donna, & I'm glad to hear you had grandchild time last week! We've spent a bit of time looking at the zoo rhinos, fascinating! And love "My love is rhino-genuine."

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  5. Such fun! I can see this as a picture book. It also seems singable with its little refrain "Rhino fine / Rhino mine."

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  6. Such fun! I love the word play and playfulness of this poem. I might have to reconsider my first impression of rhinos!

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  7. Glad I got a sneak preview of this. I'll say it again--Love, LOVE, LOVE!!! Plus, it's so fun to read it coming off Molly's post about Ogden Nash. You and he have a lot of rhyme-a-liciousness in common!

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  8. What a divinely fine rhino poem Donna! And as Violet said above I think it's singable too, the refrain is wonderful! I love Shel Silverstein, have fun with this poem next visit!

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