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Hello Hippopotamus.  Are you having fun
Whilst wallowing in that water and soaking up the sun?
      Perhaps this happy hippo has a great deal on his mind
     As he compares the life he leads to that of humankind.

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Whilst they’re immersed in water, you're rushing off to school
And humans have so much to do whilst they sleep in their pool.
     But when the sun sinks in the sky and you make off to bed,
     The hippos quickly come to life.  They hope to be well-fed.

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Whilst we work hard upon the land to grow the grain we eat,
A hippo clambers from his pool to find sweet plants to eat.
     Their young are born within their pool whilst ours arrive in bed     
     And hippos like to eat alone whilst we share meals instead.

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They don’t wear clothes as humans do; they don’t have hair or fur.
Whilst we put sun cream on our skins, cool water they prefer.
     With their eyes, their ears and nostrils all thoroughly emerged,
     We both can see each other, though their bodies are submerged.

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Each evening they forsake their friends and leave their watery home.
It’s then, whilst searching for their food, you’ll see a hippo roam.
     It isn’t smart to come between a hippo and his pool
     For that’s his place of safety.  Don’t be stupid!  Don’t be cruel!

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If a hippopotamus is scared or should feel a bit perturbed,
It’s time for you to be alert. His speed is quite superb!
     The other time to keep away is when there’s young about.
     A mother hippo’s dangerous, of this there is no doubt.

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It’s probable that you will meet some hippos in a zoo.
They also live in wildlife parks and there I’ve met a few.
     If a hippo grunts politely, he’s calling out 'hello',
     But whilst you find out other facts, it’s time for me to go.

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Copyright on all my poems

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