Squirmy Squid liked to squirm around,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.
“You will sit still!!” his teacher did say
as Squirmy Squid squirmed around all day.
“You should take your magic pill
that helps you sit so quiet and still.”
“I will not take that magic pill!
No! No! I won’t ! I won’t sit still!”
Squirmy Squid said as he squirmed around,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.
“You will take it, yes, you will!
You will take your magic pill!”
“No! I will squirm and swim about!
I will do it! Let me out!”
Squirmy Squid said as he swam away,
out of school, out to play.
“I will find a place for me.
I will find it! You will see!
A place where squids squirm round and round,
backwards, sideways, and upside down!”
So Squirmy Squid headed to the bay
Squirming, squirming all the way.
As he swam, he saw a whale,
eating, eating a garbage pail.
“Oh, Mr. Whale, would you know
Of a place where squids can go,
where squids can squirm round and round,
backwards, sideways, and upside down?”
“I am sorry,” the whale did say.
“I do not know where in the bay
squirmy squids can go to play,
where squids can squirm round and round,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.”
So Squirmy Squid headed to the bay,
squirming, squirming all the way.
As he swam, he saw an eel,
eating, eating a banana peel.
“Oh, Mr. Eel, would you know
of a place where squids can go,
where squids can squirm round and round,
backwards, sideways, and upside down?”
“I am sorry,” the eel did say.
“I do not know where in the bay
Squirmy squids can go to play,
squids can squirm round and round,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.”
So Squirmy Squid headed to the bay
squirming, squirming all the way.
As he swam, he saw a big sea bass,
eating, eating some broken glass.
“Oh, Mr. Bass, would you know
Of a place where squids can go,
where squids can squirm round and round,
backwards, sideways, and upside down?”
“Why, yes!” the bass did say.
“I do know where in the bay
Squirmy squids can go to play,
where squids can squirm round and round,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.”
“Swim beyond the coral reef,
Go past the ship of the pirate thief.
And there below in the abyss,
Is a place you cannot miss.”
“In that abyss, you will find
The squid playground you had in mind,
where squids can squirm round and round,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.”
“Oh, Thank you, thank you!” Squirmy Squid did say.
“Thank you for your help today!”
So Squirmy Squid swam to the coral reef
And past the ship of the pirate thief.
He swam into the abyss deep below
And saw hundreds of squids squirming to and fro!
“At last, I have found a place for me!
I have found it, as you can see!”
Squirmy Squid said as he squirmed around,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.
Then Squirmy Squid saw a squid swim by,
squirming, squirming and saying, “Hi!
You must be new here in Squirmy Squid Town,
A place where squids squirm round and round.”
“I’m the principal at Squirmy Squid School,
Where squirmy squids learn by different rules.
Would you like to come and see
How squirmy squids learn differently?”
“Oh, yes, I would!” Squirmy Squid did say,
As he squirmed around all day.
So they went to Squirmy Squid School,
Where learning and squirming were really cool.
“Squirmy Squids need different tools
To be able to learn in school,”
The school principle did say
To Squirmy Squid on that day.
“Give them choice, some freedom to move,
Then squirmy squids will get into the groove.
The learning groove, where work becomes play
And squirmy squids will learn everyday!”
“Some quiet time to calm their minds,
Helping them to take their time.
Smaller classes to help them focus
With lots of action and hocus pocus!”
“Working at their own squirmy pace,
Remembering that school’s not a race.
Balance rules with lots of space,
Letting squids squirm every place!”
“You mean, being squirmy isn’t bad?”
said Squirmy Squid, feeling sad.
“Oh, no! Not at all,” the principal said,
As he squirmed and scratched his head.
“Some squids learn best when sitting still,
Other squids learn with the magic pill.”
“Squirmy squids are not good or bad.
They are just different, so don’t be sad.
Squirmy Squid, would you like to come
To Squirmy Squid School and have some fun?”
“Yes, I would,” Squirmy Squid did say,
As he squirmed around all day.
So Squirmy Squid went back to school,
Where learning and squirming were really cool.
He worked at his own squirmy pace,
Remembering that school’s not a race.
As he learned about science and math,
Squirmy Squid could squirm and laugh,
As other squids squirmed around,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.
“I am happy, finally!
I have found a place for me!”
Squirmy Squid said as he squirmed around,
backwards, sideways, and upside down.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Angela Dawn MacKay
