The wind blows unchecked over prairie terrain,
Renewing its boughs with the winter again,
Creating a frost with the fresh morning dew,
Ice-crystal diamonds now carpet the view.
The sun and the moon trading places above
Give promise of warmth living creatures want of,
But seeking to catch golden rays through the chill,
Make all easy prey for the hunter's kill.
A jackrabbit's father is teaching his brood
The rules they must follow when searching
for food,
For leaving the burrow brings danger each day,
And death is a price they should not have to pay.
Stay hidden in the bushes or patches of weed,
When out in the open you run with great speed,
And never run long on a path that is straight,
Use zigzagging motions and bury your gait.
Keep your nose in the wind and ear in the air,
Your back to the sun to protect eyes
from glare,
Watching for shadows that glide across the
ground,
Lie perfectly still so you cannot be found.
Do not move an inch until nose,
ear and eye,
Assure there's no danger on ground or in sky,
And make no exceptions,
stay true to the rules,
For gambling and risk are the folly of fools.
Grace does more to teach and fulfill,
Than sorrow and pain from mistakes ever will,
A consequence earned from a choice that was made,
Can cost you a price that can never be paid.
The jackrabbit's father was finished with talk,
And moved out ahead in his three-legged
walk,
That added a soberness to every word,
A living example to all they had heard.