Ignore the Red Rhinoceros
From the book My Hippo Has the Hiccups
Ignore the red rhinoceros.
Forget he’s even there.
Pretend you cannot see him
wave his pom-poms in the air.
Dismiss his purple tutu
and his orange leotard.
If he begins to bossa nova,
pay him no regard.
Do not be disconcerted
by his color and his size,
and if he starts to shimmy
try to stifle your surprise.
Pay simply no attention
to that disco-dancing beast.
Just act as if you find him
not distracting in the least.
Though now and then he startles me
and sometimes makes me squrim,
I’ve practically forgotten
this peculiar pachyderm.
So try to do as I do:
think of something else instead.
Ignore the red rhinoceros
that’s dancing on my head.
— Kenn Nesbitt
Copyright © 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Reading Level: Grade 4
Topics: Animal Poems, Imaginary Poems
Word Count: 121
From the book My Hippo Has the Hiccups
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