Farewell to the Animals

We gather here for a final year
(And honest we mean it this time)
To bid a farewell to the valley and dell
And these trees where the animals climb

Let us gather together to toast and remember
The hawk, the egret, and owl
Recall with delight the birds in their flight
And the hills where the wood creatures prowl

Farewell to our friends of the forest
Goodbye to these gnarly oak trees
So long to the fawn and the possum . . . and skunk
Farewell to the birds and the bees.

The dragonflies, the flutterbys
The bobcat and the bats
The underground might of the troglodyte
To all we doff our hats.

The hummingbirds, the geese on the wing
The currents the vultures ride
In seasons past we have said farewell
And now we must say goodbye.

So raise a great cheer (an alestand is near)
Raise a toast to our animal friends
For all that we have is the moment at hand
Let us seize it and play 'til it ends.

-- J. Paul Moore