Brief Encounter Poem by Yen Cress

'What is that? ' the children cried.
'It has no feet, no eyes, no ears! '
'A snail, ' I told the little dears.
'And see? Its body disappears!
It pulls into its shell to hide.'

The children watched the snail come out
And slowly start to crawl away.
'Oh! See him go! ' I heard them say.
'Perhaps he doesn't want to play.'
I said, 'You're right, without a doubt.'

The snail amused each little friend
By gliding up from leaf to rose
And eating every bit he chose
Until our day came to a close-
But each child's learning had no end.