Where Knowledge Rules

Home:

Creative Writing

Get a Widget for this title

Poetry: Bird humor

The Parrot

The parrot was perched in Delhi
On a sizzling hot summer's day.
He said, "Sahib, will you please buy me?"
I was stunned, didn't know what to say.

Said the parrot, "I speak more than one language.
"Spanish and a bunch of fran-say.
"Italian, Hindi, Afghani
"And a touch of Swahili, they say."

"Why, certainly!" said I, offering rupees
(The sale made the shopkeeper's day.)


The parrot he preened and he strutted
And accents he mimicked this way:

"Do youse like my accent from Brooklyn
"or mah drawl from down neah Savannah?
Y yo puedo hablar en la lengua
De Cuba y La Vieja Habana! *

"But one thing I'll tell you," he confided
"Please don't expect me to sing
"I never took one singing lesson
"I can't carry a tune, that's the thing."

Then he started to sing some Pucini
Clearly the worst I have heard
"Stop, please, and I promise I'll buy you!
"But don't sing another harsh word."

Undaunted I went to the FedEx
And boxed up the parrot to send it
"You're going to Montana!" I told him.
"So say nothing 'til your journey is ended."

"My old mother will certainly love you
"You'll fill up her sad, empty time
"So be quiet, don't chatter or flutter
"Pretend you're a mute and a mime."

The next week I sent Mom a short e-mail.
"Say, Mom, did you enjoy the strange bird?"
"Why, yes, it was simply delicious!"
Came back her answer (absurd!).

"Say what?" I wrote back most insulted
"You ate that one-of-a-kind bird?
"Did you know that it spoke more than one language?"
A more shocking thing I never heard!

"Calm down," wrote my mother, "Don't sweat it.
"The bird arrived practically dead.
"You shouldn't have shipped it by FedEx
"And besides, there was nothing he said

"...to let me know he was so clever
"He never said one single thing!"
"But it seemed to like mimicking accents
"But I cooked it when I heard it sing."

______________________________ _________
* And I can speak in the language
Of Cuba and old Havana


197426_m Learn more about this author, Jerry Curtis.
Contact this writer Click here to send this author comments or questions.


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

Poetry: Bird humor

  • 1 of 21

    by Silver E Moon

    The day was cool the night was frigid.
    Water in the creek was downright ridged.
    The sleepy owl, eyes open just a smidgen.
    Hunkered

    read more

  • 2 of 21

    by Jerry Curtis

    The Parrot

    The parrot was perched in Delhi
    On a sizzling hot summer's day.
    He said, "Sahib, will you please buy me?"
    I was

    read more

  • by David Aaron White

    Wow I'm up really high
    There's nothing below me but a cloud
    I may just flap my wings and glide
    While cawing rather loud

    I'm

    read more

  • 4 of 21

    by Carol Gioia

    My window to the world
    is shielded by a tree
    Birds take up residence
    And chirp their songs to me.

    Sitting at my computer
    gazing

    read more

  • 5 of 21

    by Ricky Fingerz

    Birds #7
    (This is a Humorous Educational "What Am I" Poem)

    Some of us live up in the far north where it gets very cold.
    Some

    read more

View All Articles on:
Poetry: Bird humor

Add your voice

Know something about Poetry: Bird humor?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

133400

Featured Partner

Taxpayers for Common Sense

Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) is a nonpartisan budget watchdog serving as an independent voice for American taxpay...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA