You and Yours by Naomi Shihab Nye

Author:Naomi Shihab Nye
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-938160-39-4
Publisher: BOA Editions Ltd.
Published: 2013-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Canoeing with Alligators

They won’ make any bother.

Jes’ paddle down center o’ the stream.

They won’ jump into yo’ boat.

They only bother if you had a dog wit’ you or somethin’.

Sho, they’d like to eat the dog.

People who wen’ out canoe right befo’ you took a dog.

No I didn’ tell them that.

They didn’ ask.

Brain a’ alligator size o’ green pea.

Private parts inside de body.

Can’t tell outside, girl or boy —

even if ya turned one over, couldn’t tell.

And didya know? Alligator born with a egg tooth.

They hatch theyself. Born knowin’ how to hunt.

Have to — mama doesn’t provide for ‘em.

Sho, she sit on the eggs, protect ‘em till they hatch,

but thass it.

Once they born, nuthin’ more to do wit’ em.

Year later, if baby swim back in mama’ pass,

she might eat ‘im.

Eat her own young.

But you got nuttin’ to worry about.

She don’ know you.

Jes’ don’ go lookin’ pale like a marshmallow.

They see pale real good.

Alligator got no taste buds. Ain’t choosy.

Don’ put your hand over de edge of de boat

and don’ feed ‘em, definitely don’ feed ‘em.

Like dose dad-gum swamp tours feedin’ ‘em

all kinda chicken meat an’ stuff, don’ do it.

Like dose kids right over on de bank dere,

dey should know betta’. Dey live heah.

Only one time lately alligator jump into somebody canoe.

When two canoe pass an’ he got caught in de middle.

Jes’ tryin’ to escape.

But that won’t happen to you.

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