Arthur Nelson was a curious, studious fellow, like pearly moon glowing,
Ten years old and spectacled, for all is adventure, when you're growing.

Arthur lived in a one story home, with his brothers and their parents;
And also their huge, green turtle, a pet that everyone called, Clarence.

Arthur liked watching ants work avidly, like honeybees' sweet industry;
Or the frogs' lilypad, evening chorus, near the rainbow eucalyptus tree.

Fat, fluffy clouds free floated afar, when friends called upon fiery noon;
With funfetti cake and fresh views, in the last strawberry hours of June.

Flower faculties administered fragrances, when family flew back home;
To get familiar with the first, next generation, midst the sand and foam.

Arthur lived in the house of insights, and sunset shadows on the walls,
Telling a tale of pretty, deepening colors, and suspense before the fall.

Squirrels visited sparrows, seeking shelter, when the rains came down,
On the street where shasta daises square danced-Arthur's home town.

New moon wore a necklace of diamonds, when twilight bore neighbors,
In the first moments of red, newcomer Mars, with admiring spectators.

'Neon purple' bee balm was soothing, as 'bright hope' hibiscuses smiled;
And begonia 'cherry sparkle' went wild, when passersby were beguiled.

'Moonlight butterfly' begonias flew by night, as 'peacock irises' strutted;
And 'voodoo lily' bulbifer got hexed, by someone that she once trusted.

Arthur looked forward to the school science fair. His project was spiders,
And their lives, industry, and ways and habits. The beautiful silk gliders!

Arthur so wanted to win a money prize, that he studied the spiders daily.
He learnt more than he thought he would, beneath skies rose and navy.

One sunny day, Arthur watched a spider climb up the house's water spout,
Though difficult, it seemed so determined, the thing success is all about!

But alas, silver rain began to pour, like it oft does on the sunny side of life;
And the flood brought the spider back down, like the purple days of strife.

The rain stopped as suddenly as it started, and afternoon sun shone hotly;
And the rain dried quickly, as the spider reached for rainbow skies, motley.

Arthur did win the prize in the science fair, which was used toward college;
Yet that lesson of endurance was not forgotten, like lilacs after the carnage!

'The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the waterspout.
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out.
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.'