Childrens Book-Adventure #5-Mike E. Meanderer Mike E. Meanderer Meets: Flora The Fish With The Fantastic Tail Poem by Christine K. Trease

Off down the lane I wandered once more, that leads from my house to everywhere.
I was going to visit all of my friends, I had not a worry or care.

Buzzing around, was Molly the Mayfly, Roger the Rooster was crowing.
Out in the pasture was Curtsy the Cow, wondering where I was going.

“Mike E.” she called out, “Where to today? Where are you going my friend? ”
I called back to Curtsy, “Who knows what’s beyond? My adventures will never end.”

The sky was so blue and so lovely, the balmiest breezes blew.
I walked ’cross the field to Curtsy and asked her, “My friend, how are you? ”

She said, “I am much happier Mike E., the weather has gotten so warm.
I like my new friends and I like the green gras, I like it out here on my farm.”

Then all of a sudden I heard a kerplunk., I found the noise startling indeed.
I turned and I looked and to my delight, I spotted a very rare breed.

She jumped from the water and flipped out her tail, and oh what a tail she did spread.
She wriggled around and turned to and fro, then dove back in burying her head.

Then I turned to Curtsy and said, “Who was that? She leapt from the water so clear.
And why did I never notice before that this beautiful creature lived here? ”

Curtsy then chortled and told me of Flora, the Fish with the beautiful tail.
I do not suppose you’ve looked deep in this pond, that lies here, beyond your adventure trail.

Probably Flora has never jumped out of the water with you passing by.
The reason she’s jumping and wriggling today is, she has something caught in her eye.

I said to her, “poor little fishy, how painful your eye must be.
I know that I barely have met you, but would you like some help from me? ”

She said, “I have swum through the water, for hours with eyes open wide. I have shook my head all through the bubbles, yet this speck is still stuck in my eye.

I have wriggled my way through the bushes, I have even tried crying a tear,
But this speck will not budge, It refuses to go, I will have it forever I fear.

I told her, “There’s no need to panic, for Mike E. Meanderer is here.
I have come to your aid and your rescue, I will help you right now, never fear.”

But how in the world could I help her? I knew nothing about wiggly fish.
So I closed my eyes tight and I mustered up courage, and under my breath made a wish.

I wished I could help Flora fishy, I wished I could help ease her pain.
I wished I could help get that speck from her eye, and make her feel happy again.

I couldn’t grab hold of slick Flora, the fish with the beautiful tail.
Her body was too wet and slimy, I’d be cut by her fins and her scales.

So I asked Flora Fish for a favor, “could you balance yourself on this stone” Could you stand on your tail for a moment? Just until I can get the job done? ”

Flora said, “I don’t know, but I’ll give it a try.” And she leapt to the stone from the pool.
She said, “I have never tried balancing before, but this stone makes a wonderful stool.”

I removed my lunch from the red bandana, and I gave a very big sigh,
and then as careful as careful could be, I wiped the speck from her eye.

With a wink and a blink, she sprang from the stone, she spread her tail wide in mid air,
she then did a daring triple flip ‘round, Flora Fish was so graceful and rare.

Then she leapt from the water, back onto the stone and she thanked me with all of her heart.
I truly was glad that I met Flora Fish, I knew we’d be friends from the start.

I sat on the grass by her cool swimming hole, and shared my lunch with my new friend.
By then it was dusk, so I headed for home ad the day finally came to an end.

I walked back down the cobblestone path from everywhere to my home,
Glad that Flora and Curtsy were friends, so they’d never be all alone.