Cartwheelin' Kori

Cartwheelin' Kori was nimble and quick,
And she loved to perform any aerial trick
From handstands to handsprings, backflips, and cartwheels,
'Cause being active and fit is the best way to feel!

Now, Kori was a diva, as little girls go,
So she found it quite thrilling to put on a show,
On the playground at recess, for her school friends and peers,
Who would be so impressed that they'd whistle and cheer!
So, three times a day, at the sound of the bell,
The children would run, with the speed of gazelles,
To the monkey bars, where Kori loved to perform,
And, to their delight, she would flip up a storm!

She swung and cavorted, cartwheeled, and careened,
And countless well-meaning adults intervened,
For they feared that poor Kori would someday get hurt
As, with danger and risk, she'd so shamelessly flirt.
But, the grown-ups grave warnings, they all went unheeded,
'Cause the thrill of performing was what Kori needed.
And, when Cartwheelin' Kori refused to abide
By the rules, then the grown-ups would send her inside.

Now, inside was the worst place for Kori to go,
For, inside dwelled the dreaded two-letter word, "NO!"
"No, you can't jump and dance, you might get yourself hurt!
No, you can't flip and cartwheel, or there'll be no dessert!
We're not trying to be bossy, we just don't want things broken,
And don't dare dispute us, for the grown-ups have spoken!"

Now, it may well appear that their rulings were smart,
But, don't think they were made with kids' interests at heart!
'Cause God only knows the lawsuits that result
From a wobbly walkover, or a botched somersault,
Executed o'er gravel, concrete, broken glass,
For the school boards, they just want to cover their
Assets, which dwindle with each angry call,
From a parent whose child has taken a fall
On the playground, whilst under the teachers' close care,
And this revelation has caused such a scare,
That such antics are banned, to protect everyone,
In the interests of safety, thereby spoiling kids' fun.

At the prospects of losing these moments of glory,
Quite perturbed and frustrated was Cartwheelin' Kori!
And, needless to say, a dilemma unfolded,
For her folks, upon seeing their daughter get scolded!
For they knew that the teachers had safety in mind,
But, to stifle young Kori seemed far too unkind!

Said Mother to Father, "I don't want to stop Kori
From doing gymnastics, and achieving the glory
That I know she will reach if she practices hard,
But the teachers discourage it in the schoolyard.
So, what shall we do? We're in quite a bind,
A safer arena, we really should find
For Kori to practice her handstands and splits,
So the phone calls from teachers will cease and desist."

So, the very next morning, with Kori in tow,
To the Liberty Gym, her parents did go,
To sign Kori up for the gymnastics team,
So Kori could work to fulfill all her dreams
Of backflipping and bouncing, cartwheeling and more,
Who knew what the next few years would have in store?
From the playground, to the podium, the road had begun
For Kori, who knew she could be number one!

The teachers were happy, not having to worry
'Bout the threat of the lawsuit, brought on by the fury
Of Mother and Father, if Kori got hurt,
If she fell on the asphalt, or gravel, or dirt.
The children, of course, really missed Kori's shows,
So, what did they do now? I really don't know.
Some played with their Game Boys, others languished and wallowed,
As infinite Twinkies and Chee-tos, they swallowed.

As obesity flourished, the teachers got scared,
For, they hadn't predicted this! They weren't prepared,
To deal with MORE lawsuits, from furious mothers
Whose children's small hearts were encumbered and smothered,
By grease, fat and sugar, Red Food Dye No. 2,
So, of course, there was only one thing they could do!
They started a program, of brisk exercise,
To silence the parents' enraged shouts and cries.
Kori's colleagues had trouble, they panted and puffed,
But for fit, healthy Kori, it wasn't so tough!
Her body was bruised, from occasional falls
From the bars at the gym, but that ailment was small,
Compared to her classmates, with their veins clogged with flak,
Which, if it builds up, can cause bad heart attacks.

The parents got worried, and picked up the phones,
And, when Saturday came, Kori wasn't alone
At her gymnastics class, as she tumbled and twirled,
It seemed ALL her classmates had joined her new world,
Of gymnastics training, on pristine blue mats,
For, their parents were worried, 'bout their kids getting fat!
The lesson in this? There's a balance in life,
For, not taking enough risk brings on as much strife
As taking too much. If you sit and stagnate,
Then you'll never achieve what it takes to be great!
There'll be bruises and bumps, but it's worth it, my friends,
For, if you get moving, you'll win in the end.