When I first danced
I was an elephant
Heavy and stomping
and swaying my heavy tusks,
The Duck would tell me
"No No No! Don't stomp step lightly"
and so thus I became a gorilla.
Smaller but still heavy
Swinging my heavy arms
Smoother but not good enough for The Duck.
She would say "No No No! Not like that! Like This"
and then I became a monkey.
Smaller easier to move,
My steps were soundless and light
Still The Duck says, "No No No! Not like that! Straighter! Firm!"
And so I became a gazelle,
Long and graceful with perfect form.
and The Duck was happy
The gazelle was not
And a day long in the future,
The Duck died
And the gazelle was free to change.
But by the time she could.
The gazelle realized she had already
She realized that she had been
The Duck all along.