Tee-Tee and the Horsefly

Tee-Tee was a Dragonfly, 

Buzzing through the air.

Flying 'round her little pond, 

She didn't have a care.

Her wings were iridescent,

Her smiling eyes were brown.

Princess of the little pond, 

She wore a tiny crown.

The tempting aroma touched her nose, 

As it wafted through.

It caused her shiny beautiful wings, 

To shimmer green and blue.

"My oh My, that smells like pie!

A pie I'd love to eat!"

Off she went, to follow the scent, 

So wonderful and sweet.

Trees and flowers breathed again, 

As she sped away.

One of the trees thought to itself, 

"Oh, what a lovely day!"

Tee-tee made it to the house, 

And found that wonderful pie.

But there it was behind the screen, 

It almost made her cry.

And it wasn't just poor Tee-Tee, 

Arriving at the sill,

A pesky horsefly buzzed around, 

A Mantis was perfectly still.

With whiskers on its pointy chin,

And belts around its waist,

The mantis said "You're here for Pie... 

At least a little taste.”

"Yes, oh Yes!" Tee-Tee said, 

Landing on the screen

Eyeing the pie, with a sigh, 

Shimmering blue and green

Pesky horsefly finally landed, 

To get a little whiff,

His nose up to the tough old screen, 

He took a noisy sniff.

"How do we ever get past this?" 

It asked with some dismay.

“Only a smell could fit through there, 

We're out of luck today.”

Tee-Tee asked the question too, 

Gazing through the screen,

"How're we going to do it?" she asked 

The first one on the scene.

The mantis looked at both of them, 

With penetrating eyes,

"There'd be injury or serious death, 

For any bug that tries!

With ancient wisdom I can say, 

There's little you can do.

I know such things because I am... 

A Master of Bug-Fu.” 

"Bug-Fu!" the horsefly gushed, 

"I thought it didn't exist."

"It's true!" Mantis replied, 

Showing them his fist.

"I have a green belt in Bug-a-ra-te', 

And I've a brown one too,

I also have an invisible belt, 

In ancient Bug-jit-su."

Horsefly nearly came unhinged, 

His jaw dropped to his toes,

Completely forgetting about the pie, 

Right in front of his nose.

"I've never seen an invisible belt, 

In my life of nearly a week!"

"Few have," Mantis replied, 

"But I'm wearing it as we speak."

Tee-Tee wasn't impressed at all, 

She just wanted some pie.

"There really isn't any way? 

We shouldn't even try?"

Stroking the whiskers of his chin, 

Mantis focused his eyes.

He had the ability if he wanted, 

To almost hypnotize.

"This is not the pie you seek, 

Forget it, it's no good.

You can't defeat the mighty screen, 

And even if you could,

That's no place for a bug to be, 

You would surely die.

That's the place where bugs are cooked, 

To make another pie!"

Horsefly picked his jaw back up, 

"That's all I need to hear.

As much as I, would love some pie, 

I'm gettin’ out-ta here!" 

Tee-Tee wasn't as ready to go,

A tear was in her eye.

Mantis told her "Don't you fret,

‘Cause there's another pie!

Even better, fresh and tasty, 

A pie lovers delight.

You can have as much as you want, 

There’s not a screen in sight!"

"Tell me! Where?" Tee-Tee asked, 

Ready for something sweet.

Mantis told them exactly how, 

To go and find the treat.

In great detail he spelled it out, 

Explaining where to go,

Then off they went to find their prize, 

Without goodbye or hello.

After they left, the mantis returned

To being perfectly still,

Standing guard in front of the pie, 

Upon the window sill.

Soon he heard the kitchen door, 

As it opened wide.

The Cook was taking a little break, 

To spend some time outside.

Once the Cook was through the door, 

Before it closed again, 

He used his fancy Bug-Fu moves, 

To fly himself right in!

He had the tasty pie to himself, 

As planned all the while.

In between his many bites, 

He couldn't help but smile.

Tee-Tee and the pesky horsefly, 

Followed directions exact.

They found the tractor on the hill, 

Rusty but still intact.

They turned toward the blackberry patch,

Stretching 'cross the land,

Bushes and bushes everywhere,

With berries as big as a hand.

After that the Giant Maple, 

Its head up in a cloud.

"It won't be very much further now!" 

Tee-Tee said aloud.

To the edge of the farm they flew, 

And even further still,

Over the fence of limestone rock, 

And up another hill.

They finally arrived and there they were, 

To claim their tasty prize.

"Mantis was right!" Horsefly exclaimed,

"I can't believe my eyes!"

"Neither can I," Tee-Tee moaned, 

"Yuck!" as she rolled her eyes

"I can't believe we flew this far, 

For fresh and steamy...Cow Pies!"