A Smiling Acquaintance – A Riddle Poem

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I live in the Americas, in Central and the South

I am a happy mammal, with a constant smile upon my mouth.

There are two families of my species, named after our feet

And also we are different, in what we hunt and eat.

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Eleven thousand years ago, a few of us were living on the ground

The size of elephants we were weighed in tons, and not with pound…

But the arrival of humans made us easy targets, eaten and extinct

What stayed was our mini-version, the one that smiled and blinked.

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Also, we are easy target, that means we moved us to the trees

Where we do all, eat and sleep, and slowly move, breed and pair and sneeze.

We don’t have much energy, we don’t do well with others too

Normally, we all are loners, unless we are playing peek-a-boo.

**

We haven’t much developed lately, we stay frozen in our form

We smile, we eat, and we move slowly, to us that is the given norm.

Once a week we might come down from our favorite living tree

Fertilize the soil below it, before climbing up again to be.

**

Our fur is brown, sometimes beige, always straight, and never curled.

We are breeding a very special, unique moth within the insect world.

Our name comes from our movement, sluggish, lazy, very slow.

The name is program, you might guess, we are a ‘sloth’, that is to know.

*****

(Copyright, Aurora Jean Alexander, April 2022)

Picture courtesy of Google.com

A One Of A Kind Spy – A Riddle

I’m considered beautiful, and also shy

I can be hidden, still watch you, like a spy.

My eyes are big, my features strong

I’m still not predator, don’t go wrong!

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I am very fast, I won’t pry

But be aware, I cannot fly.

Just when I’m threatened, then I go

But far too often, it’s useless, though.

**

I’m useful to nature, and still I’m prey

Wolf, bear, cougar, what should I say?

They all look at me like food

That fills the belly of all their brood.

**

You can find me all over the world in different size

My life can be peaceful, but that comes with a prize.

I’m not protected like so many these days…

And that’s why I wander on different ways.

**

My babies are tiny, and should you find one on your lawn

Please, don’t feed them, they are my spawn.

They’re cute, I know, but if you intrude

I’ll leave alone, and they’ll be screwed.

**

I’m sure in the meantime you have an idea about me

Well hidden, beautiful, shy and I love to be free.

I would say, by now it should be clear

It’s no secret, I am called, a deer.

*****

(Copyright Aurora Jean Alexander, February 2, 2022)

Picture courtesy of Google.com

A Hidden Little Pest – A Riddle

We live in holes, all by ourselves, and alone

To some we’re cute, to others pests

we eat prey that falls in our traps

and in the ground we build our nests.

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We’re blind and solitary, we do damage a lot

we only meet when it is time to mate.

in some countries we are caught in traps

others protect by law our fate.

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Per litter we can have five babies

then we part our ways.

the father runs off to his future path

it’s only the mother who feeds and stays.

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We’re small, but we’re agile and mostly overseen

There are numerous classes of us little bro’s.

There’s one species human who hates us mammals

it’s the fella who takes care of the yard and mows.

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Our breathing is unusual, we need less oxygen

than other mammals and still we can survive

in smallest burrows and tight little holes

and do we feel humans see us, be sure we will dive.

**

We can damage plant roots by digging

and we do build really annoying hills.

However, we’re constructors with great noses

and don’t have to pay bills.

**

Our saliva is poison, we can use it to paralize

our pray and store it for later intake.

We live in the country, by creeks, and humid ground

and we prefer water, and sometimes live close to the lake.

**

We’re small and often forgotten

I’m sure by the time I talked about a hole

you have already guessed what I am.

Of course, I’m a mole!

*****

(Copyright Aurora Jean Alexander, May 2021)

Picture courtesy of Facts About Moles | Mole Facts | Havahart US

A Strong F(r)iend – A Riddle

 

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I have four legs but I got no tail

I’m strong and square, not a bit frail.

I got huge, I mean, enormous paws

and no nails I got – no, I got claws!

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Even though I walk on four

I can also stand on two – no more.

It’s always good for showing off

I look even worse, and hard and tough!

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I’m a loner, no herd, no pack

I can sleep on my stomach and on my back

I’m a hunter, but still I’m omnivore

I can mutter, grummle, hum and roar.

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There are many sorts of our kind

We all are dangerous, of the same mind.

We might look cuddly, that is said

but don’t trust us for a second, or you’ll be dead.

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Science has proven, after lots of to probe

You can find us all over the round globe

From far South American to all up North

where I’m roaming back and forth.

**

We show up in different size

in many colors also quite disguise.

Brown and black, with spectacles and white hair

Yes, you’re right – I am the bear!

*****

(Copyright, Aurora Jean Alexander, December 2019)

A Fierce Cold Predator – A Riddle

 

You will find me in the mountains

where the air eventually clinks of cold

seeing me means fear and danger

a slinky predator, hungry and bold.

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I might not be huge, but still I’m lethal

you can’t outrun me, fleeing isn’t wise

no matter how fast you think you will be

only to try means to simply fantasize.

**

I’m adjusted well to the mountain’s climate

you won’t see me until it’s much too late

don’t make yourself one of my victims

or you might early see the pearly gate.

**

My nose is wide to warm the air I breathe

my fur is thick to protect me from the cold

my paws are wide and furry to not sink in

to keep me on a snow blanket and have a better hold.

**

We are an endangered species,

you will find most of us in Asia,

from North down to the South

from Russia, to Tibet, to India, until Malaysia.

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Thanks to human help and support

there are more of us than the past ten years.

Slowly we might be helped by humans

which calms us and lessens our fears.

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To help you guess, I might also tell you

that my ears are round, my eyes green or gray

my ears are round, my belly whitish,

I was called beautiful, and it’s true I must say.

**

I’m muscular, lean, fast and leonine,

a predator of ibex, goat and also lamb.

Due to atopy of vodal cords I cannot roar

Yes, the Snow Leopard, that’s what I am.

*****

(Aurora Jean Alexander, Copyright, December 2018)

 

picture courtesy of Google.com

 

Hiding & Hibernation – A Riddle

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I’m cute and cuddly, without any fail

four legs, two ears and a useful tail.

I’m moving quite fast with barely a break

searching for food from seeds to a cake.

**

My nose it is constantly sniffing for something to eat

my feet never stand still, not on tree nor on street.

There are many of us in different sorts

we love playing, complaining and even play sports.

**

In autumn we’re eating, preparing to sleep

some food we do bury, sometimes too deep.

Even though we go sleeping when winters are cold

we are homeotherms, truth to be told.

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Several homeotherms often share a cave or a den

we never sleep through winter, have to get up and then

trying to search the food in the ground

but sometimes we hid it too well, it was never found.

**

Up to two times a year our babies are born

we take care of them together, as it was sworn.

They come into this world, naked and blind

their fur non-existent, their paws intertwined.

**

We eat almost everything, hungry we are

for food we are running, not close but quite far.

up a tree and across fields, sometimes it needs guts

but the food we love most, are definitely nuts.

**

As cute as we are, please, don’t catch us in nets

we are wild animals and don’t make good pets!

I guess you know what we are and you’re not to blame

Let me introduce myself: Squirrel my name.

*****

(Aurora Jean Alexander, Copyright December 2018)

Picture courtesy of: https://ind.pn/2EjWDjp

A Colorful Metamorphosis – A Riddle

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When I am born in a small egg

I have neither head nor have I leg.

All I am once I am hatched

is an eating machine well matched.

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All I’m then is stomach and mouth

I’m eating through meals from North through South.

growing, growing is my goal

I’m a worm with no heart, nor have I soul.

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But even then I’m out of norm

I have different colors, skin or form.

I come in all different, wormy sorts

just eating to us, is life and sports.

**

After I have reached my size

the next stage of life, it is my prize.

A time of silence it is, and peace

a time to change and still to cease.

**

For quite some time I am a shell

‘pupa’ called, it’s hidden well.

Every cell of mine is turning me

into something else, you soon will see.

**

The last and most important stage

is of an adult, out of that cage.

A second time it’s time to hatch

my former ‘me’s’ well to dispatch.

**

This time, no doubt, I first will be

a trembling ‘newborn’, delicate and free.

This time I’m beautiful with wings to fly.

I figure you guessed – now I am a butterfly.

*****

(Copyright: Aurora Jean Alexander, August 2018)

Picture courtesy of: http://www.spiritanimal.info/butterfly-spirit-animal/

The Little Buddy Wearing Makeup – A Riddle

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It Looks like I wear glasses

my coat is silver gray

my hands and feet are very dark

all in all I look okay.

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I’m not limited to hunting

at night time or at dawn

one can find me all day long

with a face like Makeup on.

**

It seems like I am washing

my food before I eat;

this is just a fairy tale

but believe me, it looks sweet!

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A huge trouble-maker

that is how I’m known.

People seem to want us

but no family, just alone.

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We look very cute and friendly

but hell, can we get pissed

when one day you feed and spoil us

the next day we get dissed.

**

It’s true we can be hand-raised

tamed and trained to see

but please just do remember

we want to be wild and free.

**

I am no pet to keep at home

to hug and smooch and swoon.

by now you might have guessed

I am the cute racoon!

*****

(Copyright: Aurora Jean Alexander, January 2018)

Picture courtesy of: http://www.google.com

 

Cuddly Black And Whites – A Riddle

 

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It is day but just as well it’s night

which means it’s dark as well as light.

It doesn’t climb but stays on ground

in all Americas it can be found.

**

It is a mammal and a loving one

Mom protects her kids until they’re gone.

Dad doesn’t care, but Mom will be

until baby is ready for family.

**

In winter when cold, it goes to sleep

but does not do it very deep.

It wakes up and feeds then goes back

where its sisters sleep in a dozen pack.

**

It’s omnivore, means it does eat all

hunting, killing, tear and maul.

It feeds on plants, insects, meat ‘n egg

it shows no mercy, don’t cry and beg.

**

They’re alone whenever they don’t breed

they can run with quite surprising speed.

And even though they’re black and white

they aren’t Zebra’s that is right.

**

The Great Horned Owl is on the hunt

and catches our mammal pretty blunt.

Wolves, foxes, badgers they stay away

scared of it’s weapon, a bad spray!

**

Our little buddy, and there is no wink

can defend himself and badly stink!

Cute and cuddly, a black and white hunk

I’m sure, you guessed: It is the skunk!

 

*****

(Copyright Aurora Jean Alexander, September 2017)

 

Picture curtesy of: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110602-skunks-anal-stripes-smell-science-mammals/

 

 

An Elegant Gentleman – A Riddle

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He’s an elegant fella, with a great fashion sense,

he wears timeless colors with pride, never tense.

White is his shirt, and there on his back

he carries a tailcoat in shiniest black.

**

Let’s have a look at his elegant wife

they love each other despite their hard life.

They live in a world with no roads and no street

The lady gives life to her brood on her feet.

 

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Their world is so cold, where air freezes breath

everyone going will inevitably meet death.

And still, they found a way to survive

give birth and feed, walk, slide, swim and dive.

**

Their existence is hard and is constant danger

and to us it couldn’t be any stranger.

But to them, it’s normal, to walk, slide and try

to survive by swimming because they can’t fly.

 

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Six different ones are living on ice

the same hard life in misery, not nice.

And still our fella is happy in his elegant dress

He’s a penguin – right. Did you guess?

*****

(Copyright Aurora Jean Alexander, May 2017)

 

Picture courtesy of: http://www.whoi.edu/news-release/melting-sea-ice-threatens-emperor-penguins–study-finds