Birden the Albatross

 

Birden the albatross

Carries the weight of the downtrodden woes

But still on his heavily laden wings we toss

What weighs in the conscience of friends and foes

 

Who gave him this task?

Was it me, was it you?

It’s really too much to ask

And yet ask we still do

 

And like Santa’s sack

But not in a sleigh

And not one single toy

But on Birden’s back

Filled with the antonym of joy

 

He lumbers on with tired wings

Across the sea of despair

In search of a place to place these things

A place to unload these cares

 

One morning, he met a dove

And asked if it’d help carry

Some of this weight … help him rise above

But though it cooed, its plans it would not vary

And it flew off, thus did the hope its wings did carry

 

That afternoon, upon inquiring for assistance from a swallow

Not the everyday sort

But a slightly larger non-migratory fellow

A coconut-bearing African swallow of course

“You’re cryin’ over spilled coconut milk, you know!”

He replied and did so with absolutely no remorse

 

Near dark, he solicited aid from a bird

Carrying a small package as it happened by

Still over the sea of despair flew this third

With its infant package in mouth, it replied

“I unly curry bibbies … ‘em a schtork!”

 

The next day, at morning’s early glow

When he had thought all hope for help was gone

Birden came across a carrion crow

Who, when asked, retorted

“Son, I can’t manage more than a carry-on

And speaking of carry on, that is also what I must do!”

So, without further adieu, he did and was gone

 

Then, all of a sudden, like music to his ears

A bird approached, singing a welcome greeting

But, as if it knew Birden’s worst fears

When asked if it had room

It whistled in response, “Not in a million years!

“A songbird can only carry a tune!”

 

Birden survived the sea; he’d finally reached land

He spied a donkey in a field just off a mountain pass

He asked the fellow beast of burden if he’d give a hand

But, living up to its name, it responded like an ass

“Would if I could, but I’ve only hoof, not hand!”

 

In a similar encounter with a mockingbird

He got nowhere, because no matter what he would say

The bird mirrored Birden’s sentiments word for word

That is, till Birden said, “Yes, I will help.” He simply replied, “No way!”

Then flipped him the bird

But before he flew away

In a gesture both bizarre and absurd

He turned and offered, “Have a nice day!”

 

At last … at last, a carrier pigeon, 

Surely it’d help carry, even if just a smidgeon

Help carry this burden too heavy for Birden to carry

The pigeon said nothing in response, but passed what he had to deliver

It was a message from a man that had a monkey on his back

And like how forgotten toys end up back in Santa’s sack

Thus this man’s problem had landed on Birden’s back

But, responsibility accepted, the man wanted them back

 

The man had finally realized a problem is something to face

Not to ignore, unload, or turn about face

If others followed suit, others in the human race

Then burdens’ weight would be a lot easier to carry

Spread out over a much wider space

And Birden’s wait would be only temporary

Before he could freely move on at his own Birden pace