04-29-2021, 03:43 AM
'Please kill me,' begs the bird, for he foresees
no end to being rejected for his looks
by pretty siblings, farmyard families,
a torrid turkey and a few tough chooks
and all because he doesn't look the way
they think he should, supposing him a duck
or something else, his coat all silver-grey,
not brown or yellow; 'Wrong!' the chickens cluck;
one day he saw a mighty flock of birds,
white birds so beautiful, he gave a cry;
these now approach and hear his three sad words,
he bows his head, in readiness to die...
then sees his water-image, shining white;
the swans embrace; he cries with sheer delight.
no end to being rejected for his looks
by pretty siblings, farmyard families,
a torrid turkey and a few tough chooks
and all because he doesn't look the way
they think he should, supposing him a duck
or something else, his coat all silver-grey,
not brown or yellow; 'Wrong!' the chickens cluck;
one day he saw a mighty flock of birds,
white birds so beautiful, he gave a cry;
these now approach and hear his three sad words,
he bows his head, in readiness to die...
then sees his water-image, shining white;
the swans embrace; he cries with sheer delight.