MANATEES & MERMAIDS

The Manatee

The manatee’s a mammal,
In seas and rivers swimming;
It’s neither cow, nor camel,
The waters, rather, skimming.

The poor old beast is ugly,
Fat, heavy, wrinkled, tubby…
Yet smiles and giggles smugly
As it thinks: “Pretty’s chubby.”

When tars of old espied
Manatees on the shore sunning,
“Mermaids, we see!” they cried,
“Beauties of blue sea! Stunning!”

The manatee’s not fat, nor ugly,
Just Rubenesque, I think.
And mermaids rather fugly
As they swim, dive and sink.

And as for myopic sailors
Who saw in them sirens fair,
Too long were they in whalers,
Too long without women were…

This post is part of the Wednesday Waters meme,

and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.