The Two-Legs

In the old Spiney Woods where pine trees used to dwell
A critter told me he'd a story to tell.

I said, "Well then critter, why don't you sit down?
I've got a few minutes 'fore I head back to town."
 

He said, "Well, Zeke and me - that's him by the tree -
We been seein' some stuff we don't like to see..."

"Go on," I prompted, as his whiskers shook.
"Look around you," he sighed, "take a really good look."

"You see this great forest that once was our home?
Now it's gotten so small, there's nowhere left to roam.

Them boxes they build for the two-legged folk
Are stealing our space and it ain't no joke! "
 

"Even the air in this smaller home stinks,
Has something to do with those two-legs, I think!"

While the big one was talking, Zeke moved in real close
Said, "Got any idea what hurts us the most?"

"It's the noise, all the sounds that the two-legged's bring.
With all that racket, we can't hear a thing!

A bear could sneak up and have us for a snack
'Cause we couldn't hear with the rackety-rack."
 

"That's right!" said the first one in his deeper voice.
"They just moved right in, didn't give us a choice!

Nobody asked us if we minded the change,
They just came right on in, started to rearrange."

"My favouritist tree," little Zeke then spoke up,
"Why I loved that tree since I was a pup!

Two hundred years old if she was a day,
Always spread out her branches, gave us room to play. "
 

"Then one day they came here with their noisy things,
Didn't care about us or all our playthings!

They scared all the birds, critters here on the ground
Now me an' old Zack, the only ones're around."

"We're so lonely now," Zack picked up the story,
"And we'd like to know if the two-legs are sorry.

Do they care what they're doing to any of us?
We try to be quiet and not make much fuss. "
 

"We'd like you to tell them, oh stranger so kind,
What some of us critters have got on our mind.

Maybe talk to the wind, our friend who's so strong.
Say blow really hard, take those boxes along!"

"Maybe take all the two-legs that're stored up in them,
Maybe build them some structure, put them in the pens.

Do the same thing to them that they did to Zeke's brother,
To his sister, his aunt, and to my own dear mother. "
 

"Throw them out of their homes, don't give them nowhere new
Or maybe just build them a two-legged zoo.

Throw examples in cages for us critters to visit
That is not what you picture I don't think, now is it?"

"Well now, kind stranger, will you carry our story?"
Zeke then chimed in, forehead creased up with worry.

"We've heard if the two-legs don't grow some respect,
They're just about done, we've been told to expect."
 

With that my eyebrows near rose to my hair!
"Sure, I'll get your story to those folks out there!

And I'll pray that your tale might do someone some good,
Saving some other critters their old neighborhood."

Poem/Children's Book by Alice C. Bateman

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