Back when we swam in the river
There were beasts of all sorts in the water
Like crayfish and clams and water bugs
On occasion we might see an otter
Only one of these species would seek us out
And that was the thirsty bloodsucker
It liked to burrow between our toes
Drink our blood and make our skin pucker
We didn’t even know when they got on our feet
They were busy looking for a vein
Then they’d imbibe until they were full
So clever, they caused us no pain
After we finished our swim
We’d examine our feet on the shore
We’d usually find at least one of these guys
Sometimes two, maybe three, even four
Once in a while we’d fail to check
Then they’d ride along with us all day
My mother hated them in the house
It was they who turned her hair gray
Bloodsuckers are two hundred million years old
They are truly incredible creatures
They have three jaws and five pairs of eyes
And other astonishing features
They’re members of the far-reaching family of worms
They have suckers on their front and their rear
Bloodsuckers feed on turtles and fish
They’ve even been spotted on deer
Each little sucker has dozens of teeth
It can eat up to five times its weight
I used to worry they’d starve without blood
But they last a full year in that state
The reason there’s no pain when a bloodsucker strikes
Your skin is numbed by its drool
It prevents infection and keeps the blood flowing
The bloodsucker’s drool is so cool
And bloodsuckers are nurturing parents
They carry their eggs till they hatch
Then feed their newborns till big enough
For the youngsters to make their own catch
A bloodsucker’s life is no picnic
Such a struggle to find enough blood
It must be hard to hook up with a fish
Especially when you live in the mud
Bloodsuckers gave us excitement
They encouraged us to scream and to squeal
We felt very virtuous donating blood
Where else can you be someone’s meal?
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