A ship set sail around the world with a dozen children as crew;
their parents knew that the very best school was to learn from the winds as they blew.
A wind led their ship to a jungle King, a Tiger with a long gray beard,
who told them of secrets that jungle folk knew before any school had appeared.
Just then, a new wind did whistle and blow across their ship’s wide cargo hold;
it called them to sail … this time to the sands of a desert with Camels and gold.
They talked to the Camels and talked to the gold, but only the Camels talked back.
They drew their conclusions, then boarded their ship as a wind blew them towards an ice pack.
A Polar Bear told them of danger and strength and of how he survives freezing cold;
then a wind blew them back to their mountain homeland … On return … all twelve children seemed old!
That ship that sails the winds of the world sets off with children as crew,
but it never returns till years equal miles … Ah, what a fabulous school they’ve been through!