ludwig

Ludwig the Loris

Can’t Quiet His Snout

By Jonathon Saxman



Ludwig the Loris looked as normal as can be,
He walks and he talks just like a Loris you see,
And a Loris for those that may not know,
Are focused and calm and move very slow.

But Ludwig the Loris was different inside,
He couldn’t stop moving whenever he tried.
Day in and day out he had to hide his fidgets and fools,
Because he knew being hyper was against the rules.



As long as anyone can remember within their small bubble,
A Loris too loud or too hyper will get into trouble!
While Ludwig knew these rules and tried hard to follow them,
Sometimes he’d lose all control from his toe to his thumb!

When he would lose control he’d chitter and chatter,
He’d run all around as if nothing could matter.
Though when he’d chatter his friends and his teachers would shout,

“LUDWIG YOU HAVE TO CALM DOWN,
YOU MUST QUIET YOUR SNOUT!”





This happened every day for as long as he could remember,
Which seems to be five years ago on the 5th of December.
But Ludwig the Loris didn’t know what was wrong,
He couldn’t hold back urges this strong!

Finally he yelled and he screamed, “It’s just not fair!!”
“I’m always in trouble and make everyone stare!”
“I know that talking and running around is real bad.”
“But I can’t stop myself from making everyone mad.”

Ludwig was upset so he asked his parents just
what he should do,
“Mom and Dad, I need your help with what I’m
going through.”
“I know you get mad when I’m wild and crazy.”
“I know you’d prefer if I were just quiet and lazy”

His parents stared and were slow to respond,
Then on their faces realization dawned.
“We know you’ve been having some trouble,” they said together slowly.
“And we think you should go see your Grandfather. He gets quite lonely.”





Ludwig who was quiet surprised by this reply,
He did what they said but had no idea why.
“I have not seen grandpa since before I was three.
So why is he the one that they want me to see!?”

Now, his Grandpa lives in a hut way up high,
It is on a hill that nearly scrapes the sky!
Ludwig let out a sigh and began to climb to the top.
He climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed for he just couldn’t stop.



AND FINALLY LUDWIG GOT TO THE TOP IN FRONT OF THE HUT!
Before he knew it he was dancing and beginning to strut.
Quickly though he stopped for he knew it was against the rules.
He couldn’t let grandpa see him lose control of his fools.

So then he went up and he knocked hard on the door
And from inside Ludwig heard a curious roar
Though the roar was not from a lion you see,
But from a Loris much older than he!



Up to the door wizzed an old Loris as spry as can be,
Why that old Loris looked about one hundred and three!
And the moment he saw Ludwig his eyes lit right up
“My boy, my boy! Come in, do you like tea? Have a cup!”



So, behind his Grandpa, Ludwig entered the hut,
And as they went to sit down they let the door shut.
“So my dear boy, why did you choose to come see me?”
Ludwig’s grandpa asked as he poured two cups of tea.

“Grandpa I’ve been having a whole lot of trouble you see!
I can’t control my fools, which makes people mad at me!
So I asked my parents just what I should do,
and they said that I should come to see you!”



His Grandpa was silent for only a bit,
then it seemed a smile was starting to flit.
“Oh Ludwig you silly young man,
what if I help you make a plan?”

“You see, I was just like you when I was younger,
sometimes I felt I couldn’t take it much longer.
My friends and my teachers would yell and they would shout,
That I needed to calm down and quiet my snout.”

“What did you do? Did anything help?”
Ludwig asked with a bit of a yelp.
“Not really, I just had to learn to love me.”
This made Ludwig as confused as he could be.

“But Grandpa, what exactly do you mean?”
And his Grandpa had the biggest smile he’d ever seen.
“You and I are special my boy, but that’s not bad,
sometimes we can’t hold our fools which makes others mad.”

“When it comes down to it you must happy with yourself
even if that means you do not hide your fools on a shelf.
So be happy with who you’re growing to be,
Because you’re the best you, like I’m the best me.”



“Show them it doesn’t matter if you can’t control your fools,
you must teach them why they need to change their silly old rules.
Not every Loris needs to move so slow,
and I think that’s something that we all should know.”





And with these words Ludwig saw the sun was going down,
Which meant it was time for Ludwig to head back to town.
So they said their goodbyes and he left the hut with his tea.
And for the first time Ludwig said, “I’m truly happy to be me.”