Whirligig Beetle

Paul Fleischman

We're whirligig beetles
we're swimming in circles,	We're whirligig beetles
black backs by the hundred.	we're swimming in circles,
	black backs by hundred,
	We're spinning and swerving
We're spinning and swerving	as if were on a
as if were on a	mad merry-go-round.
mad merry-go-round.
We never get dizzy
from whirling and weaving	We never get dizzy
and wheeling and swirling.	from whirling and weaving
	and wheeling and swirling.
	The same goes for turning,
The same goes for turning,	revolving and curving,
revolving and curving,	gyrating and twirling.
gyrating and twirling.
The crows fly directly,
but we prefer spirals,	The crows fly directly,
arcs, ovals, and loops.	but we prefer spirals,
	arcs, ovals, and loops.
	We're fond of the phrase
"As the whirligig swims"	"As the whirligig swims"
	meaning traveling by
	the most circular
circular	roundabout
roundabout	backtracking
backtracking	indirect
indirect	serpentine
serpentine	tortuous
tortuous	twisty and
twisty,	turny,
best possible	best possible
route.	route.