The monkey and the man 

A monkey sits upon a perch,

a man looks up to see

an expression placed across its face

that reflects a bit on he.

        "Who is this monkey lounging there?"

        the man says inquisitively.

        "Who is this man who stopped to stare?"

        the monkey answers from the tree.

                "I'm going off to work

                though I'd rather stay asleep."

                "There's plenty of space to sleep up here,

                why don't you come and join me?"

        So the man climbs up the tree

        and settles on a perch.

        But just as he gets comfortable

        the perch begins to lurch.

Fortunately the monkey

and the man begin to slide.

Grasping onto another branch

they then hung side by side.

        "This won't do!" says the monkey

        as he gives the man a boot.

        "First you broke my bed,

        then you knocked down all my fruit!"

                By now a crowd of spectators

                gathered 'round the tree.

                "Go on, get some help!"

                the man began to plea.

                "Go on, get a ladder.

                I'll tell you what to do.

                Get me down from here,

                then put this monkey in a zoo!"

        "Put me in a zoo?

        Why, whatever did I do?

        I was having a good day

        until the likes of you

        came into my tree

        and brought it crashing down.

        My good people, take this man

        and run him out of town!"

So the crowd who'd gathered 'round

were left with a decision

to act out a request.

But by who's proposition?

        The ordained minister spoke up.

        "Put the monkey behind bars.

        That is the place for a lesser beast

        as proclaimed by the stars."

                The scientist yelled his thoughts

                above the din of passing cars.

                "That's not any place for a monkey,

                not even Hylobates lars!"

                "Tis the man who's guilty of habitat destruction

                and taking over all he sees.

                Let's leave the creatures to their world,

                and leave the monkeys to their trees."

        By now the crowd began to feud

        And split up into factions.

        The man and monkey looking down

        upon the actions and reactions.

"When this row is finally over

and the argument dissipates,

why don't we find a home together?

We’ll be best of mates."

        "That's a wonderful idea!"

        said the monkey to the man

        and hanging by one arm

        he shook him by the hand.

Aaron Blaisdell ©1992