Wally’s, Woolly Mammoth mother

was worried about Winter.

Would the woollies she had knitted

keep out the Arctic chill?

Would his head be warm and cozy

and his trunk all pink and rosy

or tears run down his freezing face

to drip upon the snow.

The drips would soon make icicles

that glinted in the Arctic sun

and slowly they would lengthen out

to freeze him to the ground.

So with this picture haunting her

his mother knitted furiously

making warm and woolly things

to keep the cold winds out.

She knitted him a Fair Isle coat

that fitted him from tail to throat,

in colours, bright as rainbow arcs

that came when Spring was there.

She knitted him a scarlet toque

a pom-pom sewed on top of it

and warm ear muffs, the size of sacks,

to hang his dear ears in.

And yards and yards of muffler scarf,

to wrap around his neck and chest,

that matched the Fair Isle coat and vest,

I mentioned once before.

So when the winter came at last.

Wally braved the coldest blast

and facing winds in Arctic storm

Wally’s wardrobe kept him warm.

 

 

David Garlick, Victoria, February, 1994
For Bradley Larue and his wonderful picture.