This was a fun write. I visited the Chattanooga Zoo with my family on Memorial Day, and don’t think my writing this zoo post as my recommendation to visit this 13 acre, bare minimum field. I was not compelled to take one picture. I did like their logo, a monkey in a swirl of leaves in the shape of a capital C, found on just about everything in the gift shop. Not until the Chattanooga Zoo meets wild animals, mostly lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! will the zoo reach favorite attraction.

Which reminds me of the time Caiden said I looked like a “shoe” girl. I asked, “A shoe girl?” He pointed to his shoe and said, “Not a shoe girl. The girl who takes care of the animals. You look like a ZOO girl.”

We then left the zoo and drove over to the Chattanooga Choo Choo courtyard for a picnic. I walked the boys into the arcade to get away from the heat. We stayed in there for almost an hour. I then gave them some cash to exchange into coins, and told them, “Don’t put any more quarters in that ‘claw’ machine. I’ve been trying to win that colorful ball, and all I’ve done is lost my money.” I sat outside glum, and within five minutes, here they come, Keller and Caiden, skipping out of the arcade laughing, each bouncing a ball from playing the “claw” game.

“We’re Gonna Go to the Zoo”

I’m gonna go to the zoo
I wanna see you, you, and you
strange animal art forms I never knew
I’ll write a few haikus in July and June
while I view from the roof and fall asleep under moon
sing a new song over me soon

We’re gonna go to the zoo
we wanna see you, you, and you
there’s nothing good here that we should lose
who would like to wear a shoe or two?
we walk around machines in the cool arcade
each bouncing beach balls from playing “the claw” game

My future lies inside a zoo
I should take care of the animals too
I’ll never understand the truth until I do
birds kept as companions but the bird seldom seen
almost to the point of becoming extinct
and then I hear the Chickadee call, “yoo-hoo”

I’m gonna go to the zoo
I wanna see you, you, and you
first verse of myself, but the last can’t produce
Lord, bring it to life in us by noon
sing a new song over us soon
rehearsed like nature’s array of tunes

~ §tacy §weeney