I DAYDREAM OF LOVE

   by Tubby Stefan

It seemed she came from out of nowhere

or perhaps from cyber space—

but when I opened Jen's email,

my heart began to race!

Right there before my eyes,

big as life upon on the screen

was sweet, fair Esmeralda—

the most gorgeous hippo I'd ever seen.

She stood tall and she stood proud,

a virtual hippo queen of the Nile

and I sat and stared with beating heart,

lost for hours in her smile.

I sighed, for I would never meet her—

this exquisite hippo lives in France,

we'd never share a meal, sit in the sun

or swim the underwater hippo dance.

I rejoiced when I read she was taken with me

and the red flowers (for her) by my side,

but I knew we'd always be oceans apart—

we'd never meet— tears fell as I cried.

But then, oh wonder of wonders,

Jen and Diane saw the love Esme and I shared

and they set out to help us meet somehow,

oh, I'm so glad they cared!!

So while I may never really meet Esme,

or exchange hippo thoughts beneath moonbeams,

Thanks to Jen's photo skills with this picture,

we'll love and hug forever in our dreams.

        Hand-in-hand-across-the-pond

        art and poetry collaboration

       by Jen Robinson, Diane Stefan

                Esme & Tubby