counting

I tried to count the spots
on the giraffe, down at the zoo.
But every time I got halfway,
one spot would look at me and say
"you counted me already,
didn't you?"

I tried to count the wrinkles
on an elephant nearby.
But each wrinkle had a wrinkle
and the lake beside her twinkled
to conceal even more crinkles
from her feet up to her eyes.

I tried to count the stripes
upon the zebras in the grass.
I started with a black line first.
It split in two and then dispersed.
Now should I count the white?
alack, alas!

I tried to count the teeth inside
the hairy lion's jaws.
I sneaked up close and I met trouble
and so retreated on the double
as he reached out and stretched
his sharpened claws!

I'm all done counting at the zoo,
I'll find another way.
The monkeys threw banana peels,
The kangaroos were not genteel.
I'll try again, perhaps another day.