If I could be an animal, I wonder what I’d be?

Which, of all those creatures, could embody all of me?

In whom would I be happy if I stepped into his skin?

Looking at my choices, tell me, where would you begin?

Let’s start with the elephant (who could argue that?),

If I was in a wrestling match I’d take you to the mat.

I’d wrap my trunk around your leg and twirl you in the sky,

Then throw you over yonder hill to watch a human fly.

Perhaps I’d want to see from lofty heights of the giraffe,

I’d tie my neck into a knot just to make you laugh.

I’d guard the net at basketball until I was forty,

Then whisper to Shaquille O’Neal, “What’s the matter, Shorty?”

But then, the lowly ant has a unique attraction,

The way he works with others gives a certain satisfaction.

I could show off to my friends, lift fifty times my weight!

But no way live my whole life just to one time conjugate.

In the ocean as a fish might would be a winner,

‘cept when the Tiger Shark views me as his dinner.

Whitetail deer, there’s a thought, maybe be a treat,

Though he’s lost a lot of brothers trying to cross the street.

As I sit here on my porch gazing at the sky,

Looking at a feathered friend that seems to love to fly,

I settle on an easy choice and say “That’s what I’ll be.

He and I seem to have much commonality.”

A house full of loving comrades always means so much

We both like soft caresses of the other gender’s touch.

The view from afar gives us both such perspective,

Eating meals while on the go has always been effective.

Sometime ‘round August, ‘fore the cold winter stings,

We’ll head to South America by way of only wings.

Resting in our winter homes ‘til April’s round the bend,

We’ll fly back to our nesting grounds, to houses made by men.

And so, it looks like fun to me, these wanderers of the sky,

Who swoop and sway and dance and drink and sing the lullaby.

For if I had to start again, if life was just a startin’,

I’d lay these burdens to the side and be a Purple Martin.