A Hot Summer's Afternoon Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

A fly sat on a blade of grass
and leisurely there scratched his ass.
The leaf was drooping due to heat
the summer sun was a repeat
of last year when so many died
dehydrated and later fried.

Beneath the fly there flowed a stream
white caps and boulders smooth as cream.
The sun was threatening to end
the insect's life there in South Bend.

That's when he said 'if I could climb
down to the water's edge in time
the mist would cool my down for sure.'
Down in the stream a large, mature
and hungry fish with eagle eyes
said to himself, 'I love those flies
if he comes down to cool his back
I'll confiscate him as a snack.'

The fly was hurting from the glare
and did not see the grizzly bear
who was concealed in the tall grass
and said I'll get his little ass.'

Meaning of course that if the fly
would give the cooling stream a try.
And whereupon the hungry fish
would leap to get his insect dish.
The bear would grab the water creature
he'd practiced often the procedure.

A little further in the trees
stood eating sourdough with cheese
a hunter with a Remington
aware of all the goings-on.
He reasoned if the fly would go
just briefly to the stream below
the fish would grab the stupid fly
the bear would grunt his jungle cry
and he, the hunter then would claim
his trophy through the rifle's aim.

Behind the hunter, in the shade
was crouched a cat that watched the blade
that showed the fly still sitting still
while all were waiting for the kill.

He figured if the fly descended
down to the water, undefended
the fish would gobble up his prize
but in a second a surpise
would come like lightning as a winner
the paw would snatch his wiggling dinner.

The cat surmised that in the tension
and through the deadly intervention
the hunter's sandwich would then fall
the cat would snatch it, that was all.

You guessed it, as the shot rang out
the fly was swallowed by the trout,
the bear received the struggling fish
fulfilled his culinary wish
and cat retrieved the bread with cheese
then jumped for pleasure and with ease,
zigzagging all across the ground
into the water where he drowned.

What is the moral, can you guess?
Well, let me tell you, hold the press.
A fly that seeks the water's edge
and causes a big trout to pledge
as well as triggers a huge bear
to confiscate his slipp'ry share
will soon appear in hunter's sight
and as the shooter drops his bite....
let opportunity arise...!
The hunter's sandwich be the prize.

And through the telescope, Sir Hubble
observes: Fly down means puss' in trouble.