Predentaries: A Poem

Sooooo, just a on a whim (and from a couple requests) I have written a little poem about the ornithischian predentary bone.

I am SO sorry about the next minute of your life that you are about to lose:
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Predentaries
A poem by Ali Nabavizadeh

The predentary bone is one to ponder;

Unique, peculiar, and full of wonder.

It sat in front of many a dinosaur jaw;

In hopes that plants are what it saw.

They came triangular, round, or square;

And no other jawbone could compare.

For it was on its own, all lonesome and sad;

Thinking of the counterpart it never had.

I cannot stress enough, however;
That this tiny bone did much to sever;

The innocent plant life that grew around.

It would chop it up before making a sound.

Stegosaurus and those duck-billed creatures;

Are only a few who shared this feature.

Ankylosaurus was also among them

And that Triceratops, with three horns; a gem.

Heterodontosaurids—they started it out,
(Or at least that’s what phylogenies seem to talk about).

Who knows, though? It’s hard to tell these days;

Because us paleontologists cant agree on what trees go—and what stays.

The function of this peculiar bone;

Has long been thought to be nipping plants on its own.

I’m willing to bet my life, however;

That this bone did much more than just sever.

It sat in the middle, proud and bold;

With two dentary bones on either side that rolled;

Around their long axes as the animal chewed;

While rotating around each predentary joint—‘Yum, food’.

The predentary bone would stay just still;

As the other bones would show off their skill;

Chewing the plants on both sides of the jaw;

While Mr. Predentary grabbed more food to gnaw.

So you see, my friends, predentaries worked wonders;

Although researching their function gives me mental blunders.

It is safe to say that, though it does have some class;

The predentary bone is just a pain in my ass.

~ Ali