The Alphabet Menagerie

 It’s Really Cool … To Be a Rhinoceros!

It’s really cool … to be a Rhinoceros.

We’re big and ugly, and quite preposterous.

We’ve one or two horns, depending on species;

No matter the number, they’ll give “heebe jeebes.”

I’m a relic of very, very ancient times.

Long before language, before ancient rhymes.

Before there were humans and a prison zoo,

We roamed the world―and, on the velt, we still do.

Our numbers are fewer because of our horns,

Humans think they’re magic, that they should adorn,

An African or Asian doctor’s medicine chest,

To heal, save lives; humans think that that’s best.

We’re diminished in number—down to a few,

Though our species is dying, our best we still do.

We roam with Elephants on the African velt,

But we’re not as popular; that’s what we’ve felt.

We’re jealous of Elephants’ great popularity;

We feel there’s bias, a most definite “disparity.”

Tourists and camera crews fear Rhino ferocity,

Instead they film, always, calm Elephant pomposity.

It’s just not fair; we’re as old as our “friends.”

We round out a range of ancient specie “portends.”

Our range is now small, but we hope to stay prosperous,

It’s still really cool … to be a Rhinoceros.