MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB
... 2020 UPDATE ... With a tip of the hat to James Thurber ...
... and sincere apologies to Sarah Josepha Hale ! Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow;
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rule;
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school.
And so the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near,
And waited patiently about
Till Mary did appear.
Why does the lamb love Mary so?
The eager children cry;
Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,
The teacher did reply. But then COVID-19 appeared,
And raised its ugly head.
Her parents lost their jobs and home.
They moved into a shed.
Mary tried to learn at home.
Her classmates were no more.
Their teacher died a lonely death,
While gasping on the floor.
Her parents sought in vain to find,
Relief for all their woes.
Evictions rose, their food ran low,
and businesses did close.
Hunger can distort the mind,
Give rise to thoughts anew,
Drive one to think of things that one
would never ever do.
"So, sadly, it was him or us,
Which we cannot conceal.
In times like this, you must perceive,
we cannot give you veal."
And so the lamb, that Mary loved,
is no more to be found.
As chops and stew he was consumed,
as well as being ground. Rick Reinckens
