I wrote this little story poem for my daughters. They made me read it so often at bedtimes that I know it by heart. I hope you enjoy it as much as they did.
Ollie the otter
Was afraid of the water.
Oh, how he wished he could swim!
If he could just freeze
The shakes in his knees,
Oh, then he would just jump right in!
One day by the shore
A fish called Lenore
Said “Hey Ollie, the water is fine!
You don’t have to hide,
Come join me inside
And you’ll have a wonderful time!”
“I can’t,” said the otter
“Go into the water,
For I see quite clear what I lack.
I haven’t got fins
Or gills in my skin
Or a strong, scaly tail at my back.”
From across the way,
Sid the duck quacked away,
“Hey, Ollie, the water is nice!
There’s no need to fuss.
Just come play with us,
You won’t even have to think twice!”
“But I’ll sink like a stone,”
Ollie said with a groan,
“I’ve not grown webbed feet like you,
No feathers or fluff
That would be enough
To keep me afloat like you do.”
Ollie frowned and was sad.
He felt really bad
For the help they were trying to give,
But he wasn’t like them
And couldn’t depend
On gills or feathers to live.
Then he saw his mother
And sisters and brother
Making their way to the shore.
They all slipped right in
With nary a feather or fin
But Ollie was scared all the more.
As they gamboled and played
In the bright, sunny day,
They called to poor Ollie in glee,
“You don’t need gills
Or feathery frills
To play in the water, you see?”
“You are an otter
And are made for the water,
So you’ll find all that you’ll need to do
Is forget feathers and fins
And jump right on in
‘Cause you only need to be you!”
“Could it be?” Ollie thought,
“Should I try it or not?”
And decided to give it a go.
First he felt with a claw,
Then the fur on his paw.
“There’s only one way to know!”
He slipped in the waters
Just like the otters
And felt the fine thrill of the swim.
Then before he knew,
He’d done loopty-loos
And no one could keep up with him!
“Whoo hoo!” Cried Lenore
As he looped from the shore.
She cheered as she watched him swim by.
“Way to go!” Yelled Sid.
“Just look what you did!
And you only needed to try!”
As Ollie swam hither
And dove down thither,
He smiled at what he could be:
“I don’t have to wish
To be a duck or a fish
When I’m special just being me!”
“It’s how I’m made
To play on the waves
And do all that an otter can do!”
So be like Ollie and see
Who you’re meant to be
And be brave to be specially you!