//------------------------------//
// Giraffe Glade V 
// Story: Rainbow Dash Around the World 
// by MagicS 
//------------------------------//

“The next poet coming up should have quite the poem to recite,” He Whose Neck Is Long told Rainbow Dash.

“Why’s that?” She asked, desperate for anything that could possibly be exciting.  

“The poet had been courting another giraffe, but she chose a different poet who is not performing tonight. I am certain the poem we are about to hear will be wrought with intense emotions and very passionate. You may even see some giraffes cry as they listen to it,” He Whose Neck Is Long said.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and looked around. Seeing all the completely stoic giraffes around her made her pretty doubtful of that. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“You seem to be enjoying the poetry so far. Perhaps you will be moved too,” her giraffe friend said.

Rainbow had to fight the urge to look at him like he was insane.

“I-It could happen...” she very stiffly responded.

A minute later another giraffe walked up on stage, the poet He Whose Neck Is Long must’ve been talking about, as far as she could tell he was a slightly younger looking giraffe. Not quite as tall, and his neck not quite as long as most others. Dear sweet Celestia, was she starting to think in giraffe terms? Is that what this insane repetition of poetry was doing to her?

The giraffe onstage took a moment to gather his thoughts it seemed, quietly looking over the crowd and then bringing up a hoof to rub his elongated throat. Maybe that meant he had a long poem. She kind of hoped not. In any event he cleared his throat and took a deep breath before speaking-

“A giraffe, whose neck is long.”

Rainbow Dash immediately sighed.

“A giraffe, whose neck is longer still.”

“Together, opposite sides, another giraffe between them.”

“Her legs, short. Her neck, short.”

“Her walk, her prance, her dance, her run. Like flowers. Like beauty. All that the giraffes can see. No leaves, no village, no trees, no sun, no sky, no other giraffes. Just her. Her legs short, her neck short.”

“A giraffe, whose neck is long. Dances. Together.”

“A giraffe, whose neck is longer still. Dances. Together.”

“The world stops. The village stops. Three giraffes only.”

“She whose legs and neck are short dances with he whose neck is longer still.”

“A giraffe whose neck is long dances alone.”

He stopped there and took a slight bow before shuffling off the stage. To Rainbow Dash’s surprise there were a few very quiet claps and stomps of appreciation, and many giraffes had a more solemn expression on their faces. She had to admit too that at least that poem had a little more real emotion in it than the others.

“Young love,” He Whose Neck Is Long sighed. “It can be beautiful but also sad.”

Rainbow Dash had nothing to say on the topic, love wasn’t exactly her thing, so she just watched the stage and waited for the next giraffe. Hopefully things were almost over. How many hours of insane giraffe poetry had she listened to now?