Ms Turtle and Ms Crocodile

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Ms Turtle and Ms Crocodile
have been good friends for quite awhile.
Though not well matched in size or shape
(Ms Turtle’s small and like a plate
while Croc is more a long thin line)
it seems they get along just fine.

You’ll see Ms Turtle’s favourite place
is by her good friend’s pointy face.
She nuzzles Croc’s imposing jaw
then moves along to nuzzle more.
Not once does she show any fear
of those sharp teeth so very near.

All during this Ms Croc’s at ease
just floating there beneath the trees.
I don’t know what goes through her mind
but my guess is: ‘You are so kind!
Thank you, my friend, for being keen
to keep my face so nice and clean.’

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© Kristin Martin 2018

This poem is also published in my poetry book, To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme? (Glimmer Press, 2019).

41 thoughts on “Ms Turtle and Ms Crocodile

    • Hi Nuwin,

      You would think that, wouldn’t you? But this is based on real animals, and the turtle helped the crocodile, so I guess the crocodile liked the turtle.

      Kristin

  1. Hi Kristin,
    I liked how you said that the crocodile was friends with the turtle!
    Crocodiles actually eat turtles, so I found it quite interesting!

    Caleb

  2. Hi Kristen
    That was great poem! Why did you want to write a poem on a turtle and crocodile? I liked that the crocodile is friend with the turtle.
    From Thinara

  3. Hi Kristin
    I liked how you said that they are great friends, even though that is a bit abnormal. I like how it kind of sends a message like “Don’t judge a book by its cover!” How did you come up with the brilliant idea?
    Tharusha

  4. Hi Kristin

    I know turtles and crocodiles don’t get together that well but if they did I will be surprised. In the part that Ms turtle went near Ms crocodiles mouth, i felt like Ms crocodile will eat him. When i read the title i was like WHAT.

    • Hi Senehas,

      I wrote this poem after I went to the Adelaide Zoo and saw a turtle and a freshwater crocodile in the same enclosure. The turtle seemed to be cleaning the crocodile’s face.

      Kristin

  5. Hi Kristin
    I read this poem in the school holidays but I forgot to do a comment for your poem so I am doing it right now. I like the way you tried rhyme every two lines. I wish that every animal in the world could be friends like all humans are friendly to each other. In real life, I don’t think that those two animals are friendly but if they were that would be so amazing to see it actually happen in a zoo or in the jungle if they were working together to hunt for food or play together.
    From Nuwin.

  6. Your poems are easy to understand and give new way of thinking to me. I have not seen they are friends in real life. Who are the other animals who are friends like this. May be rabbits and birds or kangaroo and dear. If human can be friends with animals why not animals with other animals in the jungle?

    • Hi Dinethri,

      Some animals help each other in the wild, like birds who eat insects off of buffalo’s backs. The turtle was helping keep the crocodile clean, so the crocodile let her stay close by. I guess they were sort of friends.

      Kristin

  7. That is an interesting pair of besties. I think there is a fish who also cleans the algae in other fish’s teeth.
    -Thisama

  8. I like these paintings of the crocodile and turtle. I also like how they sound like real people who are friends that are not afraid of each other.
    From Lysha

  9. Hi Kristin,
    I love to read your poems during my school holidays. This poem is awesome too.
    I have seen turtles in the zoo but not crocodiles.
    Are they really friends?
    Thanks
    Dinidu

    • Hi Dinidu,

      It is lovely to hear that you like to read my poems on your school holidays. I am also enjoying the school holidays- I am a teacher and a mum.

      I really did see a turtle nibbling a crocodile’s face at the zoo. I’m not sure if they were friends, but I think the crocodile liked the turtle cleaning her face.

      Kristin

    • Thanks Thenumi,

      These two animals actually do this in the Adelaide Zoo. I don’t know if they are friends, but the turtle does keep the crocodile’s face clean.

      Kristin

  10. I like how the turtle and crocodile work together and I thought it was funny how the turtle cleaned the crocodiles jaws. I thought they were very kind and good friends.
    Ashton B

  11. I love poems that rhyme and I think this one is fantastic! Especially because it features a turtle, they are my favourite animal!

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