Giraffes Like to Smoke-

It’s what makes their necks long.

Manny was a beautiful giraffe

No one could prove that wrong.

Golden fur,

Like the last gasps of a sunset

As it is pulled below the horizon.

Brown spots,

Sneaking their way up his body like so many poachers.

Manny could smoke with the best of them,

Sitting on the shore of a forlorn lake

As they fished.

One would plunge his head underwater,

And snag with his teeth a fish,

Flinging head and swinging fish out of the water.

Or he would miss,

Meekly bring his head out of the water in shame,

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And they would all laugh together.

But one night,

Fishing under the full moon,

One giraffe caught in her teeth something

Harder

And heavier than any fish.

She pulled and pulled with all her might,

And when she broke the water’s surface,

All the giraffes gasped.

For what came out was not a fish,

But the reflection of the moon.

And none were more shocked than Manny,

Who declared “Surely this is the only thing as beautiful as me!”

And then, to the reflection of the moon,

“Please, you must be my wife!”

And he was so beautiful,

The reflection found herself unable to refuse.

So they were happily married,

And for a time Manny was truly in love.

But soon he was empty,

And he could not know why.

He took long walks in the dead of night,

Gazing at the moon in the sky,

Until one night he cried,

“I thought your reflection the only thing beautiful as me!

But now I see,

A reflection is all it is,

And I am more than a reflection.”

So the next night,

He stood under the full moon,

And began to smoke.

And the more he smoked,

The longer his neck grew.

The moon’s reflection sat on his head,

Feeding him cigars.

For she thought she loved him,

And wanted only for him to be happy.

Longer and longer he grew,

Piercing the velvet sky,

Until they reached the moon.

And the moon said,

“Oh, thank you for bringing my reflection back to me!

Truly flattering are your advances,

But as I was made for her and she for me,

I must turn you down.

And besides,

You may truly love me now,

But I know soon that love will fade for another.”

At that moment rose the sun,

And looking upon Manny’s brilliant fur he declared

“At last!

One as radiant as me!

Dear giraffe, you must be my husband!”

And the sun was so radiant,

That Manny found himself unable to refuse.

So the moon and her reflection

Are happy lovers once more

While Manny lives with the sun,

Shining on all the Earth.