The Zoo - A poem

(In honor of school starting this week and field trips to come being planned, I give an ode to the zoo, which is where our first graders go at our school. I wrote this when I was a chaperone for Clovis, way back in the first grade, two years ago. )


Five classes of first-graders, murmuring with excitement.
Their first field trip this year.
Two adults per class, so a total of ten chaperones.
Not including the teachers
So, fifteen adults in all.

Two buses. Many miles to Cincinnati.
A long round trip for fifteen adults.
I asked my daughter if I could sleep on the bus.
She said no, because I’d be asleep when we got there.
I told her she could wake me up.
She didn’t buy it.
She’s smart for her age.

I also asked her if we’d see lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
She didn’t find that funny, either.

I’ve made my game plan in my head already.
Take Advil, like I’m preparing to go to the dentist.
Preventative medicating, I call it.
Then, reload before the bus ride home.

You see, I’ve done these field trips before, so
I’m old hat at it.
First-graders don’t quite understand how loud they really are.
Just ask the teachers.
They’ll agree.

The zoo.
Many animals people look at.
Many people animals look at.
It’s a learning experience for both.

The children want personal interaction with the animals.
Kids want to feed them, pet them, talk to them.
The animals want to be left alone.
But they’ll take the food. If anyone’s offering.
Bananas for the monkeys
Peanuts for the elephants
Sack lunches for the students.

It’s all routine.
Memories made at the zoo.
Time after time, year after year.
Generation after generation.

My parents took me to the Cincinnati Zoo.
I’m taking my child, too.
I hope she’ll take her own child someday.
Then she’ll have tales to tell.
And Advil to take.
And questions to ask that her daughter will see as silly.
Like,
"Can I sleep on the bus?"

The field trip will be great.
We’ll both never forget it.
Nor will her son or daughter.

*My favorite animal at the zoo has always been the monkey. I could sit and watch them for hours. I mimic the monkey, I guess. I mean, after all, I pick at my kids, rub their faces to get them clean, and throw food at them when I am angry. No, all kidding aside, I do love the monkeys. I especially love the ones with the red butts. I feel for them. Just when I feel my butt's draggin', I can always think back to how bad they have it. I mean, YOU try sitting down with that!