by Paul Fleischman (b. 1952)
We're whirligig beetles
Language: English
Chosen for Diff
We're whirligig beetles
we're swimming in circles, We're whirligig beetles
black backs by the hundred. we're swimming in circles,
black backs by the hundred.
We're spinning and swerving
We're spinning and swerving. as if we were on a
as if we were on a mad merry-go-round.
mad merry-go-round.
We never get dizzy
from whirling and weaving We never get dizzy
and wheeling and swirling. from whirling and weaving
and wheeling and swirling.
The same goes for turning.
The same goes for turning. revolving and curving.
revolving and curving, gyrating and twirling.
gyrating and twirling.
The crows fly directly,
but we prefer spirals, The crows fly directly,
arcs, ovals, and loops. but we prefer spirals,
arcs, ovals and loops.
We're fond of the phrase
"As the whirligig swims". "As the whirligig swims"
meaning traveling by
the most circular
circular roundabout
roundabout backtracking
backtracking indirect
indirect serpentine
serpentine tortuous
tortuous twisty and
twisty, turny,
best possible best possible
route. route.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Fleischman (b. 1952), "Whirligig Beeltes", appears in Joyful Noise; Poems For Two Voices [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ruth Watson Henderson (1932 - 2026), "Whirligig beetles", 2001 [ sa chorus and piano ], from Two Insect Songs, no. 1, Earthsongs
Publisher: Earthsongs [external link]  [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-09-04
Line count: 33
Word count: 158