A hungry fox was walking along
And spied some very familiar shapes.
Deep in a garden he noticed a trellis
From which were hanging some bunches of grapes.

"I must have those grapes," he thought.
He took a giant leap but found
The fruit too high and so he landed
Empty-handed back on the ground.

"This is not a good thing at all.
Perseverance!" he said, but when
He leaped into the air for the fruit,
He landed empty-handed again.

"****!" he exclaimed. "Not to eat
Those luscious grapes would be a crime,"
And so the exasperated fox
Attempted to reach them one more time.

But, alas, once more he failed.
"Oh, well," he sighed. "Some other day.
Why did I waste my time? Those grapes
Were probably sour, anyway."

Of course, the fable has a moral:
Often we become upset
And criticize and denigrate
Whatever it is that we can't get.

Ah, but there's another lesson:
Why rush to grab the grapes on the vine
When we can wait a little longer
And then partake of some heavenly wine?

-by Bob B (8-25-21)

°An Aesop fable, "The Fox and the Grapes," retold here in verse