Five Turtles

Five turtles met on the roadside,
all wanting to cross the highway.

The first turtle threw caution to the wind
and took out across the pavement,
and was promptly smashed flat
by two semis and a bus.

The second turtle decided to wait on the shoulder
for a break in traffic,
and was promptly smashed flat
by a motor home pulling over on the curb
to switch drivers.

The third turtle decided to walk a half mile down the road
and cross over on a bridge,
but was chewed on by a dog,
dropped over the railing,
smashed on the pavement below
and then run over by a Honda, a pickup, and a minivan.

The fourth turtle decided to go under the highway,
and got halfway through the culvert
when a sudden rain storm came up,
drown him in the tunnel,
and washed him back out the other side,
where he was smashed flat in a rock slide.

The fifth turtle said, "The hell with this!"
suddenly seeing no real reason
why he ever needed to get across
the highway in the first place,
and went off and lived happily ever after
in a little clump of trees
at the edge of a junkyard.


Based on the traditional Mexican folk tale Cinco Armadillos