It is a well-documented fact that J. Patrick Lewis can write a poem about anything! And so today, in honor of National Chocolates Day (who knew?), our U.S. Children's Poet Laureate shares this poem about chocolate-covered ants. I was looking for a photo to put here, but then I realized I don't enjoy looking at chocolate-covered ants. So you'll just have to use your imagination!
Chocolate-Covered Ants
You start with that ant mandible—
Completely understandable—
A chocolate jaw has never tasted sweeter.
Then bite a bit of abdomen
Before you’ve finally grabbed a min-
i-leg, an itty-bitty centimeter.
But ants despise a holiday
That is their grand finale day
When you become a Chocolate Anteater.
–J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
Ha!
Like I said, Pat can write a poem about anything! This poem, by the way, is part of a collection he has coming out in 2013: World Rat Day: Poems About Real Holidays You've Never Heard Of (Candlewick). World Rat Day! Seriously? There's another holiday I don't want a picture of! I don't know where Pat comes up with all his clever ideas for poetry collections (world records, epitaphs, book plot riddles), but that's ok. All I have to do is enjoy the poems.
Thanks, Pat, for sharing this poem today! (I'm going to eat something chocolate today, for sure, but it will not have a mandible nor abdomen!)
Speaking of enjoying poems, Diane Mayr at Random Noodling has the Poetry Friday Roundup today. So, um, what are you waiting for?