THE LOVE OF HUGH MANATEE
Behold, this manatee named Hugh,
Cries out in prayer, God of the Sea,
Though thickly skinned and seldom seen,
Still I'm endangered as can be.
For food I dive down deep
below,
And now and then come up
for breath,
But oil spills can spoil
the food
And boat propellers can mean
death.
Who cares about my unsafe life?
Who cares about Hugh Manatee?
Sure, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"
But who says "THAT applies to ME!"
To love my neighbor as myself
The first one I must love
is me,
So I have made my lifelong
quest
To learn to love Hugh Manatee.
I love my coat, gray-black and slick,
My broad round tail that gives control,
I'm proud to be a swimming ace
Who never harms a living soul.
Be with me, God of All that
is
And hear my strong and humble
plea
That human hearts throughout
the world
Soon learn to love Hugh Manatee.
from the forthcoming book Prayers of 100 Animals A to Z, by William Cleary
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