Just Write Tuesday #4

Arty Armadillo was packing his bag;
Arty Armadillo was looking quite sad.
"What’s the matter with you?" asked his sister, Lulu.
"I’m going away, and it’s going to be far,
Peter Opossum was killed by a very large car."
"Cousin Peter? No way--that just can’t be true!
He has a wife and eight kids, who aren’t even two."
"That’s why I am going, it needs to be done.
Barbara Jean and the kids should be here in the sun.
They need to be with us and out of the cold,
safe in Arizona with friends new and old.
I’m leaving right now, the train departs at five;
Tell mama I’ll call her the moment I arrive."
"Be careful, Arty, the temperature can drop quite low;
A Minnesota winter is no place for an Armadillo."
Arty left the train station and his warm state,
And traveled up north to save his cousins their fate;
Nothing could have prepared him for the sight he would bestow;
For Arty was an armadillo who had never seen snow!
When he got off that train and the bitter wind blew;
He knew the experience had happened to few.
Most of his family had never seen a carpet so white;
He knew they would listen to him far into the night.
He called his mama and then Barbara Jean,
Said he would be there in ten or fifteen.
He hiked through the snow in the direction she gave,
In hopes that he’d soon find Peter’s burrow or cave.
The weather was frightful, the snow blew and fell;
Arty knew he had an awesome story to tell.
Barbara Jean let him in and there were hugs all around;
and Arty was out of the cold; safe and sound.
They talked into the night as they remembered the years;
Sharing laughter, joy, happiness and tears.
It took a week to pack up their stuff,
leaving home and moving away is always tough.
With four kids on each back, they returned to the station;
Arizona and a new start was their destination.
The return trip was easy; their problems were few;
Soon they were at mama’s with lots of unpacking to do.
"It’s good to have you back," said Arty’s sister, Lulu.
He gave her a hug and said, "I missed you too."
She asked, "Did you see the carpet of white?"
He told her he did, and they talked through the night.
Arty’s story is amazing, and this we all know,
For he is an Armadillo who’s walked through the snow.