I ONCE KNEW A ZEBRA
HIS NAME WAS CLEM.
WHO WAS PROUD OF HIS STRIPES 
BUT WAS CONFUSED BY THEM.

CLEM WAS A ZEBRA
WITH STRIPES THAT WERE WHITE,
OR STRIPES THAT WERE BLACK.
BUT WHICH ONE WAS RIGHT.

HE DECIDED HE’D ASK,
TO GET THE FINAL WORD.
SO OFF HE WENT, 
TO THE HEAD OF HIS HERD

THE HEAD OF THE HERD
WAS A MIGHTY SIGHT.
STRONG, PROUD AND SMART,
NO ONE QUESTIONED HIS MIGHT.

WHEN CLEM WAS ALLOWED
TO ASK HIS QUESTION.
HE SAID AM I WHITE WITH BLACK STRIPES,
OR THE OTHER DIRECTION.

THE CHIEF STOOD THERE
WITH A QUITE PUZZLED LOOK.
HE KNEW THAT HE COULDN'T
JUST LOOK IN A BOOK.

THEN FINALLY THE CHIEF ANSWERED
BUT NOT TILL HE THOUGHT IT THROUGH.
HE SAID, YOUR QUESTION DESERVES, 
THE BEST WE CAN DO.

SO HE CALLED FOR THE ELDER
THE ONE THEY CALLED KELL.
WELL ASK HIM YOUR QUESTION
AND THEN WE CAN TELL.

WHEN THE WISE ONE ARRIVED
EVERYONE KNEELED.
OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE KNOWLEDGE
THEY KNEW HE CONCEALED.

THEN THE CHIEF SPOKE,
PLEASE WISE ONE HELP US ALL.
WE HAVE A DILEMMA,
WE HOPE YOU CAN SOLVE

CLEM HERE HAS A QUESTION,
HE’D LIKE TO ASK.
WHICH WAY DO HIS STRIPES GO,
AND THEY WHITE OR ARE THEY BLACK.

THE WISE ONE RAISED AN EYEBROW
AND THEN MADE A SOUND.
ITS NOT THE STRIPES THAT MATTER,
IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE THAT COUNTS.

(c) 1999, Richard C. Johns