Hello, I'm Bruno

Just off the coast, in the shallow part of the sea

There was a small little reef, cute as can be.

All day and all night, the fish swam to and fro,

Until they saw Bruno, and away they’d go.

“Hello, I’m Bruno,” is all that he’d say

Before all the fish frantically swam away

For Bruno was a shark, though still young for his size,

He was grey and blue, with black in his eyes.

But Bruno was lonely, and all that he wanted,

Was a group of friends, with whom he’d be bonded.

He asked all that he met if they’d be his friend

But every time, it would have the same end

Since he’s a shark, the other fish, they were scared,

And being around him was more than they dared.

For they saw his teeth, they were sharper than tacks

And none of them wanted to be his next snack.

So, Bruno would swim alone, up and down every day

Along with the waves, this way, and that way

Then one day, while Bruno swam with the tide

A little remora appeared at his side.

The fish swam closer and closer to him

Tiny and silver, and incredibly slim.

“Hello, I’m Bruno,” the shark eagerly tried.

“My name is Freddie,” the remora cried.

“I’ll stick to your belly, and we’ll have all the fun,

I’ll finish your food when you think that you’re done.”

“Could it be? Was it real? Did I get my wish?”

Bruno thought as he stared wide at the fish.

“There’s just one thing, silly it may be,”

Freddie said with a smile. “Just don’t eat me.”

Bruno sighed for a moment, then he smiled too

“I would like to be best friends with you.”

The new friends swam off, playing tag with each other

Happy to have finally found one another.

But, unknown to them, as they swam away

Another group of swimmers was coming to stay

A moray eel, spotted and yellow

A lionfish, a poisonous fellow

A jellyfish, looking ridiculous

And their blue-ringed leader, an octopus

They swam in and looked at the reef

And what they saw there, they could not believe

An entire buffet to them, teeming with food

The leader said, “this place will be good.”

As the new gang swam, they entered the scene

Looking at the new meals, each one too keen

Meanwhile, Bruno and his new friend were playing

Resting in the waves, to and fro they were swaying

They tickled their tummies swimming through the weeds

And tried to race each other, going at faster speeds

They laughed as they played together, but then

Bruno’s stomach rumbled: “I’m hungry again.”

Freddie was wary, but be said with a grin

“I guess it’s time to go back home, then.”

The pair of them swam together, and came to the reef

Where they saw the fishes were far from relief

Bruno swam up to the gang, and asked with a smile,

“Are you guys going to be staying for a while?”

The octopus laughed and the rest followed suit

While the fishes they cornered were looking to scoot

The octopus swam over to Bruno, stretching his arms out

“Get lost, kid,” said the octopus, barely a shout,

“These morsels here are going to be our lunch.

They’re the good kind of fish, the kind we like to munch.”

“But these are my friends,” Bruno said with a strong voice.

The gang laughed, and the octopus said “We got no choice.

We’re bigger than them, and they are our food.

Now scram, sharky, before we get rude.”

“You can’t hurt my friends,” Bruno said, his frown twisted.

“Bruno, maybe we should go,” Freddie insisted.

The octopus spied Freddie and grabbed him with his arms

Bruno screeched “You better do him no harm!”

“What’s going on in your head, kid? Take my advice,

You think they’re your friends? You’d better think twice.

Don’t worry about this prey. To be more precise:

He’ll turn on you when you’re no longer nice.”

Bruno got angry, “Give him back to me.”

The gang laughed and with terrible glee

Raised Freddie to their mouths, ready to eat

But they did not get to feast on their treat.

Bruno slammed into the octopus and bit on his arm

Freddie was free and with great alarm

Swam to safety behind a big rock

And then, he received quite a shock

Bruno the shark, so happy and free

Was biting the others, scaring Freddie

“Stop what you’re doing,” he said with a yelp

Swimming back to his friend, desperate to help.

In all the confusion, Freddie got bit

And Bruno immediately snapped out of it.

“Freddie?!” Bruno screamed, pushing back the gang

Rushing away as Freddie felt a pang

The gang laughed, all beat up and bitten

“I told you,” the octopus yelled. “You’ll never fit in.”

Bruno rushed Freddie away, and hid in an old ship

Regretting that he’d given his friend a nip.

Freddie opened his eyes and thought he was prey

He swam up, looked at Bruno, and then swam away.

“I’m so sorry, Freddie. You know I didn’t mean to.”

Bruno said, feeling incredibly blue.

The shark felt alone, more alone than before

He sunk to the bottom of the ship’s wooden floor

He swam back outside and away from the reef

Miserable and alone, with only his grief.

He did not swim with the tide, he swam only away

Trying to escape the pain of that day

He’d finally found a friend, that’s what he wanted

But now, he’d lost him, all because he’d been taunted

“I’m a shark,” Bruno cried, if he could cry

“I can’t help being that no matter what I try.”

“Don’t be so down, kid,” said the booming voice of a whale

Black with white around the eyes, and a horizontal tail

“A Killer Whale?” Bruno said. “Please don’t kill me, sir.”

“I remember when I was younger, just where you were.”

“These bullies came in and they made me mad.

I hurt my friend, and I feel bad.”

“Sharks can have friends? I thought you preferred solitude:

Being alone? Is that not how you’re viewed?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll never have friends.”

Bruno swam away, alone, just as nature intends.

But the killer whale said “Listen kid, I don’t know about sharks

But I know about friends. Long or short, they leave their marks

Accidents happen, and if they’re for real

Friends will never leave you, no matter the deal.”

Bruno turned back and faced the old whale

And swam at the pace of a lowly sea snail

“But they’ll never like, they’re just too afraid.”

“Maybe so, but soon they’ll wish you had stayed.

That reef is your home, and whether you know it or not,

You must defend it from the pain others plot.

Go save your friends and protect them from dying”

Bruno thought to himself “it’s at least worth the trying.”

So away he swam, with speed and with grace

To all that feared him, his own homeland space

He returned to see the Octopus and his gang

Wreaking more havoc from the terror they sprang

Bruno charged in and fought a fierce fight

Hated he may be, but he knew it was right

The battle lasted shorter than previously before

As the other predators were still very sore

They swam away, avoiding Bruno’s sharp teeth

They swam away, far away from the reef

The other fish came out and they cheered

For the shark that had saved them; the one that they feared

But Bruno looked around, for he sought his new friend

Hoping that he had not met his dark end

From behind a rock, Freddie swam out in haste

To meet the shark who had given him a taste

“Freddie,” Bruno cried, his face covered by shame

“I liked swimming with you and playing our games.

I’m sorry I bit you, I won’t do that no more.

And I promise that I always think of you before

Getting into fights, though I have to defend

This reef so predators don’t eat all of my friends.

But your my best friend, if you still wanna be,

So, do you still want to play some games with me?”

Freddie looked at Bruno, and then looked at his fin

And then thought: what if it happened again?

Bruno would get stronger, bigger, and even more scary

Freddie would, forever, need to be wary

But the big guy had said, right from the start

He just wants a friend, to love with all his heart.

“I forgive you, Bruno,” Freddie cried too.

“I would still like to be best friends with you.”

Freddie swam up to Bruno and gave him a hug

And stuck to his stomach, safe and snug.

A little while later, some seals came into town

Slender, and sleek, and fast diving down.

They bullied the fish and laugh all the while

Until a great shadow ruined their smile.

They turned around, and what did they see?

Bruno and Freddie, still cute as can be.

The seals, they laughed until their stomachs were sore

“Beat it, kids. We’ve never ate like this before.”

“Hello, I’m Bruno,” The shark bared his sharp teeth

“I hope you won’t hurt my friends on this reef.”

Seeing the teeth, the seals swam swiftly away

Leaving this reef protected for another day.

For this is the truth, and I’m glad that’s it’s so

Sharks are more important than you know:

They stave off intruders in their own ecosystem

And prevent others from over-eating those within them.

Bruno and Freddie, friends ‘til the end

Swam around, looking for a fin to lend.