A rainworm lay upon the ground,
all dry and quite forsaken.
A kindly man came walking by
and took the worm to save him.
He tossed him in the dewy grass,
where he could soon recover;
the worm then wriggled straight away
and disappeared under cover.

He burrowed down into the earth,
the damp and soft brown soil,
and made himself a little home
after all that dreadful toil.
And there he lived for many days,
in darkness, safe and sound,
digging tunnels through the earth
and turning soil around.

And so it carried on and on,
within that earthy kingdom.
Until one day, quite suddenly,
a lady worm had joined him!
A female worm! What joy was this!
The little worms peeped out.
They looked at one another well —
and that was what love's about.

And soon a pale and tender ring
appeared around her middle,
a tiny little thing indeed,
but rather more than little.
And when the time was ripe at last,
our worm just slipped it free.
And on they went, as worms will do,
as it was meant to be.

Two little worms, so soft and small,
were born into the earth;
the ring released them tenderly
and sent them on their way forth.
They dug their tunnels deep and wide,
the earth could breathe much more.
The garden thanked them heartily
for all they did below.

The plants grew tall, the flowers spread,
the garden flourished grandly.
And then one day, as if on cue,
a little worm met another.
And soon enough, you know the tale:
it all began anew.
Just as it had in days gone by,
the little worms knew what to do.

One little worm becomes two,
then three and five and ten...
And how it carries on from there
you gardeners can see again.
The gardener digs his plants right in,
and birds think, “What a treat!”
They follow close behind him, for
it soon will be time to eat!

And so it has been since the start,
through every age and season:
the little worms are down below —
and birds are up the waiting part.