’Please do not feed the animals…’

Please do not feed the ostriches
sandwiches

or the polar bears
eclairs.

Do not offer the wombats
kumquats

or the rattle-snakes
fruit-cakes.

Remember that piranhas
are not allowed bananas

or partridges
sausages.

Never approach a stork
with things on a fork

or the bustard
with a plate of custard.

No leopard
likes anything peppered

and meercats
disdain KitKats.

Remember that grapes
upset apes

and meringues
do the same for orangutans.

Most importantly –
do not feed the cheetah

your teacher.