Poetry to accompany "Herd of Elephants?" Parts 1 and 2

The Savannah Bulldozer

Plowing up the earth,
Moving shrubs and brush
Making way for fresher turf,
New grass green and lush!

Digging in the parched, dry dirt
Water now can flow
Disaster, then, they do avert
From Meru to Lobito.

Toppling over trees, immense
New growth can appear.
Fresh buds and sprouts, they do commence,
It goes throughout the year.

What keeps the land so lush and green?
Bulldozing this homefront?
Its natures way thats no machine
Why, its an elephant!

By Ann Hart
© 2001 Maggies Earth Adventures, LLC

Other good poems to share with your students include:

Extinction Day
By Terry Jones

Found in Mother Earth, Sister Sky
Selected by Jane Yolen
Wordsong, Boys Mill Press

The Hippopotamus
Jack Prelutsky

Holding Hands
Lenore M. Link

Oliphant
J.R.R. Tolkien

Beside the Line of Elephants
Edna Becker

Lion
William Jay Smith

The Lion
Jack Prelutsky

Leopard
Gretchen Kreps