Bug Parade

When the bugs decided 

to have a parade 

ten quintillion came 

who can guess what they weighed 

 

Wings and antennae 

went trembling a-shiver 

while mini-legs scuffled 

all directions a-quiver 

 

It was just twilight time 

not quite moon not quite sun 

that cockeyed mad moment 

beasties love to have fun 

 

Off they went furrowing 

jumping and burrowing 

scampering scurrying 

teeny specks hurrying 

 

They whirred slid and squirmed 

swam buzzed and turned 

playing hooraying 

batty bug holidaying 

 

They whizzed by all zipping 

glittering then flittering 

diving and gliding 

whoops sometimes colliding 

 

Advancing while dancing 

speeding receding 

straying sashaying 

wild buggy horseplaying 

 

Teetering and skeetering 

metering and greetering 

creepering and crawlering 

a great insect ballering 

 

But most bugs hate lines 

there were ten quintillion whines 

as they acted their worst 

pouting, I must go first 

 

Us us us called the Ants 

we know the way 

we have to go first 

ant starts with A 

 

What a loud babbling fuss 

a bug rumpus and more 

a million species spinning 

a deafening uproar 

 

At last they agreed 

that the ants would proceed 

with Bumblebees busily 

following their lead 

 

Our turn next chirped the 

Crickets 

in an ear-splitting blast 

no us snapped Dragonflies 

as Earwigs crept past 

 

Fireflies spun overhead 

in a ring of bright lights 

while Grasshoppers and 

Horseflies 

high-hopped in delight 

 

Inchworms and June bugs 

kept checking the time 

as katydids and Lacewings 

squeaked this row is mine 

 

Mosquitoes and Netwings 

Owlflies Planthoppers 

swooped about singing 

every bug-tune showstopper 

  

The Question Mark Butterflies 

all orange and brown dots 

claimed a row to themselves 

joking we deserve some good spots 

 

Rice Weevils and Stink Bugs 

laughed as they twined 

whooping we love a parade 

as Termites crept behind 

 

Underwings and Vine Borers 

began to slow down 

hurry up buzzed the Wasps 

those Xylodromumses are around 

 

At last came Yellow Mealworms 

striped Zebra Butterflies 

swarming wispy whirls 

as moonbeams lit the sky 

 

All bugs at last arrived 

parading endless rows 

when ten quintillion roared at once 

 

NOW WHERE DOES WE GOES? 

 

 

Copyright: from When Poems Fall from the Sky (ZaZaKids Books, 2021) copyright © Zaro Weil 2019, used by permission of the author

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Full of hope and wonder, Zaro's poems celebrate nature in all its shapes and sizes. They whisk you away from the busy-busy of everyday ...

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