Seals

Smooth and shy, and hard to spy
peeping from the water.
Watch them gliding, swimming by
– agile under water.
When they leave the sea they heave –
pull with each front flipper,
body drags, and tummy sags,
humping slide and slither.

Baby lies with big round eyes,
nourished by its mother.
Must be strong before too long,
grow a vest of blubber
– to keep it warm out in the storm,
swimming all the winter.

Diving deep its nostrils keep
closed while under water,
breathing stops ’til up it pops
– nose out for a breather.

Seals below the ice and snow,
– sea with ice roof over,
here and there a hole for air
– down they go, back under.

Furry, shy, but film men spy
– catch a moving picture:
watch and see them swimming free,
darting through the water.

Don’t add an -ion to its name,
that creature’s not the same –
sea lion each side of its head has an ear,
and walks with two flippers like feet at its rear.