My friend Terrence

was a little happy sole,

he didn't need a kennel,

nor a house or a hole.

 

His home was a shell

that he carried on his back,

so that all he had to do

was drop down on the track.

 

Then he'd pull his head inside,

followed by his legs and feet

and he’d look inside the fridge

for something tasty to eat.

 

If it started raining

or got too chilly cold,

his friends would run for shelter

beneath trees or in their holes.

 

But not our little friend,

because he'd climb inside his shell

and have a cup of tea

until the sun chased off the chill.

 

Wherever he did travel,

he would walk so nice and slow,

well there's no need to rush,

you might trip or stub your toe!

 

“And all the good things

come to those that wait”,

or so his mother told him

as he headed through the gate.

 

“If you’re rushing all the time

and your feet don’t want to stop

then you’ll end up getting dizzy

like a whizzing spinning top”.

 

His mother, how she loved him

and he loved her lots, right back

with her funny little sayings

she would help him stay on track.

 

So there my tale has ended,

for all you girls and boys,

and now you've met my little friend,

Terence the Tortoise.

 

 

 

*

Written by Darren Scanlon, 25th February 2014.

Revised, 30th August 2015.

Artwork by Angie Caira.

© 2015 Darren Scanlon. All rights reserved.