Was clearing out my computer files and came across this.
I won the Poet of the Month for December 2008. I entered the contest on a hunch and after being encouraged by Philip Hackett, one of the Beat Poets here in North Beach. I won
the contest! (I think it had something to do with the punch line)
The Foundation for Creative Expression
presents
The Beat Museum Poet of the Month
December 2008
Winner
Randelyn C. Webster
San Francisco, CA
For the Birds
The famous parrots of North Beach
Are either loved or hated.
Some treat them as a treasure
Some just want them abated.
Tourists mostly love them
Locals mostly, too...
Except for the complainers
After all that's what they do.
Criticizing and finding fault
With almost everything
From the color of morning sky
To when the church bells ring,
These people are more apt to find
Flaws on the Mona Lisa...
And don't tell me they wouldn't gripe
About that tower in Pisa!
Some think it's just unnatural,
That the parrots don't belong...
Is it due to their green plumage?
Or the shrillness of their song?
Or is it because they're different
They aren't native, they are strange,
The unfamiliar oddity
To those who can't stand change
There were meetings and petitions
Writ to rid us of our birds,
Citing noise and health codes...
Citing feathers, citing turds.
They didn't think we'd notice
Didn't think that we would care
If they removed our parrots...
But we stopped them then and there.
And so for now the parrots reign,
Our emeralds of the sky...
They've found a home in North Beach,
And there's little wonder why—
For we are a unique place,
We give different its due—
And on behalf of all odd birds,
Either like it or flock you!
So for today, Fifty Five Is The New Parrots of North Beach....may they fly free forever!
Are either loved or hated.
Some treat them as a treasure
Some just want them abated.
Tourists mostly love them
Locals mostly, too...
Except for the complainers
After all that's what they do.
Criticizing and finding fault
With almost everything
From the color of morning sky
To when the church bells ring,
These people are more apt to find
Flaws on the Mona Lisa...
And don't tell me they wouldn't gripe
About that tower in Pisa!
Some think it's just unnatural,
That the parrots don't belong...
Is it due to their green plumage?
Or the shrillness of their song?
Or is it because they're different
They aren't native, they are strange,
The unfamiliar oddity
To those who can't stand change
There were meetings and petitions
Writ to rid us of our birds,
Citing noise and health codes...
Citing feathers, citing turds.
They didn't think we'd notice
Didn't think that we would care
If they removed our parrots...
But we stopped them then and there.
And so for now the parrots reign,
Our emeralds of the sky...
They've found a home in North Beach,
And there's little wonder why—
For we are a unique place,
We give different its due—
And on behalf of all odd birds,
Either like it or flock you!
So for today, Fifty Five Is The New Parrots of North Beach....may they fly free forever!
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