TRIBUTE TO THE HAPLESS FOWL

AS I WALK THROUGH THE WINDING STREET,
OFT SEE WAGONS FILLED TO THE HILT,
FULL TO THE BRIM WITH THE HAPLESS FOWL,
AS VEHICLES MOVE AROUND IN A PROWL.


OH! YOU FOWL WITH A SORROWING FACE,
AND YOUR LEGS BOUND TIGHT,
SOMEWHERE YOU BEAM GOOD CHEER,
UNTAINTED BY ANY IMPENDING FEAR.

PEOPLE IN THE VICINITY KNOW,
THAT THERE ISNT MUCH TIME TO GO,
TAKEN TO SOME LOCAL SHOP,
TO BE SHRED LIKE A CROP.

YOU WERE BORN SOME-WHERE AS A CHICK,
HOW GOOD LIFE WAS IN THE FLOCK,
CRACKLING MERRILY WITH THOSE AROUND,
HOPPING UNTIL SOME FODDER IS FOUND.

YOUR TRIBE GIVES MAN-KIND THE EGG,
QUENCHING THE HUNGER OF MAN,
HUMANITY RAVISH YOUR LEG,
TEARING AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.

I SEE GUESTS HEAVE A SIGH,
YOUR DISHES COME PRICED VERY HIGH,
MANKIND BOIL , ROAST ,FLAME AND FRY,
IN THE BARGAIN SPENDING MANY A PIE.

BOTH ALIVE OR DEAD OH MY FOWL,
YOU TOUCH MANKIND SOUL,
SOMETIMES WHEN I EAT YOUR DISH,
AM FIT AS A FIDDLE AND TIRELESS AS A FISH.

OH FOWL AS YOU PEEP FROM YOUR CONFINES,
OF FEAR THERE ARE SOME SIGNS,
SOME WANDERING ONE WOULD ASK FOR YOUR MEAT,
SOME GUEST SOMEWHERE NEEDS A TREAT.

BEHOLD A HAND STRETCHES INTO YOUR ENCLOSURE,
YOU RESIST, SCREAM AND REFRAIN,
BUT NONE UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN,
SOON BECOMING FLESH BONE AND FUR.

BUT FOWL TAKE YOUR CONSOLATION,
MANKIND OWES YOU MORE COMPASSION,
YOU LIVE AND DIE FOR THE THANKLESS MAN,
WHO WRONGS YOU IN ALL WAYS HE CAN,
BUT NOTE YOU FOWL WITHOUT YOUR FODDER,
FOOD PROBLEMS COULD MAKE THE WORLD SHUDDER,
FOR THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH GRAIN,
LEFT TO EASE MANKIND'S PAIN,
AND AS YOU LIVE AND MAKE SUPREME SACRIFICE,
NO ONE HEARING YOUR WAIL OR CRIES,
NOTE THAT MANKIND WOULD SOME DAY RECKON,
ALL THE GOOD YOU HAVE DONE,
AND A MONUMENT FOR YOU BUILD,
WITH THANKSGIVING AND REMORSE FILLED,
FOR HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR YOU,
MANY A ECONOMIC CRISIS WOULD HAVE POSED ANEW,
AND BY SUPPLYING FODDER TO THE HUNGRY MAN,
ENABLES HIS SPIRIT , VERVE AND LIFE-SPAN.