Sturgeon's Law

At the reading I went to last weekend, Kenneth McClane said is favorite word is glowworm, and then read a poem by that name. At least, I think it was McClane. It may be been Robert Hass or Richard Shelton, but I think it was McClane, with glowworm's resonance with jazz and the blue.

Anyway, thought I'd throw that out there! Re: the poem, the word "slimy" isn't working for me even though it matches the subtle playfulness of the poem. Seems too Ogden Nash (not that I dislike Nash, mind you).
 

I think the rhino sentence needs a verb like distend or stretch; I see a lumbering rhino with a web trailing under his feet. Insinuate is a synonym that fits musically, but I don't think that fits line at all.

What? Not like slimy? Pish! I think the phrase "slip, you slimy morsel" is perfect for tone, and has great overlapping consonance. But I usually give sound the nod in word choice.
 

Thanks for the feedback, guys--always appreciated! :-)
 

On the Rhino: if you want to keep the structure, perhaps the word puncture would work better.
 

Yes, "Slip, you slimy morsel" has the right sound, a nice alliteration. But slimy seems, I don't know, almost too common denominator. That said, I can't think of another option, so I'm of little help, sorry....