"I had a Little Gull named Raven, I flew to call her Myna,
She made sounds like a Crow, although she was pretty as a White Rump-ed Shama.
Knot a Sapsucker, or a Flycatcher, or the Least bit a-Do-Witcher,
She was just a Rhea Cutia, a purty little Redhead-ed Tanager.
An Orange-breasted Sunbird, a Summer Tanager she was.
“Raven you should be in Skua!” . . . and she said, “A Course-er!”, so she does.
I did a Stint in University, and flew first bird Courier.
I'm a Horned Coot with a Baldpate, a Babbler and a Worrier.
Knot an Apostlebird, though I went to Godwit school,
Never made Dikkop Bishopbird, I thought Cardinal was way too Koel.
I ended up as a Friarbird, Jacana Turnstone Fody.
I met a Flutist Wren, and she Towee how to be Noddy!
I wrote some Harpy Music, though I’m not a Nightingale,
I was a Happy Song Wren, when I Smew this little Gull.
One Nightjar I was at a Rusty Fronted Barwing,
Swallowin’ Wild Turkey and Kokako’s,
Wren I Seedeater a little Starling. who had such Corvus Mangoes!
I Sora’ later at another Barwing, . . . She must have Turnstoned twenty
Oh Raven you’re Toucan, . . a Kiskadee would help you plenty!
“Caw Caw! . . . Wild Turkey and Kokako’s!”
I been a-Skimmer for just Swan Winchat, so I Eider up.
“Oh Raven, a Kiskadee would make me wealthy!
Oh Raven you’re thin, not fat!
“A Chick-a-Dee would keep me healthy!
You’re a Reedling I'm Hoopoe-ing to Chat!
“Not a Secretarybird, nor a Roadrunner, For sure you Sibia Manakin!”
You're a Yungas Mannakin!, have a fine Firecrest on your tail!
“For such a Cutia Buteo, you’re skinnier than a Rail!
“A kinder man would tether you, an' Wagtail you a Hutton Vireo!
All for a Greater Roadrunner, Yur a Graceful Pitta for Rea-l!”
“True, I'm Rail purty, tis true I was a Cutia,
"I was the Yougas Mannakin, when I was a just a Tanager.
"But then I got too Greeby, and my Manager threw me out,
"I’m not the Least Bittern, I’m not the least Bittern doubt.”
We tried to squawk, but Raven’s Bewick had a Hoarse Accentor . .
“My Scarlet-Straited Ant-Thrush is Sora, is Mannakin me Weka!
“I Garganey’d Wild Turkey, but it didn’t make me well,
“Now I’m trying Kokako’s, to see if brings down the swell.
“I need a Black Capped Phoebe, something to make it better.”
“Open your Magpie wide!”, I said an' I Sora Pica Nuttalli inside her!
“Your Thrush-like Shiffornis has gotten red and Sora!
“A Remizidae, I have some Serin, a Currasow in my Caracara!”
Now I ain’t got no Caracara, I have a Minivet and a Scoter,
No reason to Guan too fara. . . They carry me when I go to Skua.
I Hawfinch took a Waldrapp Swan, for a Divers around the Park
So that day on a Whimbrel, I asked Raven out for a Lark.
We Redstarted up my Scoter, and made the Eider roar.
But just then the Eider quit, the Block busted a Nutcracker.
“Turdus!” Sora Rook bad Luck, the Scoter’s engine gone!
There’s no Currasaw. . . it’s outta Oilbird______!
“It’s a Beautiful Jay” Raven said, “Let’s Wren a Caracara!”
So we Wrentit ourselves a Merlin, and Redstarted it to the Park.
Raven was actin’ Prinia, Coquette-a as I drove our Wrentit Merlin
Then took a Noddy Tern, and lied to in Tern to Raven,
“Our poor Merlin’s out of Petrel.”
I brought a special Botteri, in the Kestrel, for just such an Auk
It’s not a drink if you think a Stork, I thought she might Goshawk.
Auk-ward as Raven is, she’s got a lot of Gull
“Wheat-ear!” She cries as she Dippers her Nightjar.
A Robin’ Bustard, a Ruff Babbler in the Act !
She’s Florican gas for our Wrentit car,
Duckin’ Jackdaw in a Canvasback . . . . . “Caw Caw!”
"Duckin' a Jackdaw in a Canvasback . . . Caw Caw!"
I Coot not say no to Raven
I Lyrebirded to you here in this Dusky Lark
I lied to have you Raven . . .
Right here in Bushtit Park.
The Monal came out, and the Skylark got Bathawk,
“That’s Koel”, cawed Raven, then she threw back the Goshawk.
“Let’s make a Leantoo,” Raven said, “I’ll rip your Canvasback
I'll make it up into a Pootoo, against the Caracara bumper."
“And then I’ll invite you to my Bowerbird, and you can show me your Thunder Pumper!”
Raven became a Firewood-gatherer, I became a Leaf-Tosser,
I Sora I Woodhunter and when we had enough leaves I’d Gleaner!
The place was kina Treepie, the sun Flicker-ed then Blackstart.
I thought to Coot my Oxpecker, and Shag Raven then in that Lark.
Or maybe she Takehe up the Ani . . . like so many birds that Turdus
Wood she be a Trembler? Sora a Screamer? Raven my Bowerbirdus.
Woodcock or Snowcock, my Monarch was really Puffin!
My Cock-seemed-made-of-Rock, it needed her Turkey to give Smew stuffin’.
I started fumblin with her Spotted Redshank,
Then she took out one Brown Booby muffin.
And then I knew I was Griffon to Robin a Common Shag!
I Smew then I had Common a Shag, to Griffon-to my Puffin!
When I Spider-hunter ware-y
“I’m not in a Thrush at all”
She said, and took my Barbet Wood Peewee.
“That’s not for playin’” I told my dear young Raven,
“Not for a Pygmy Goose like you,
“That’ll pleasure an Oldsquaw Muttonbird!
“But will Hurt a Hummingbird like you.”
“Caw Caw” . . “Will hurt a hummingbird like you.”
“I ain’t no Rusty Breasted Nunlet, I’m a Ruddy Turnstone twenty!
Pygmy Ibon your Cactus Wren, I’ll give your Puffin Groundpecker plenty!
I ain’t no Virginia Cherrybird. You got a Trogon there?”
"Honeyguide your Rusty Flowerpiercer, into in my Fruithunter Fairey!"
“Caw, Caw! Into her Fruithunter Fairey!”
A Gannet and a Gannet, my Thunder Pumper banged her Butter Ball.
She called me a Stake Driver, and Wren called me a Man-of-War!
I was Screamer “Raven!”, my Gull’s a Paradise Crow!
I Rollered her in leaves, we Tumblered in the Ouzel so.
My Puffinus Assimilis, is makin' her Ani Sora . . .
I’ll give her Peewee Stuffin’, and she’ll be beggin me for Moa!
“Guillemot, you are e-Chough for some good Broadbill,
I Coot Falconet” said Raven who for the first time called me Bill.
She’s past being a Fregata minor, or a Twite Tanager
She’ll not be a Tattler, ‘Gwan then, take your Fill.
'And then when she’s had e-Chough you can Saddle-her Broadbill.’
She Wagtailed her Bendire, and Craned Thrasher in the Air
She jammed my Beak into her fender, and then ripped the clothes off my Scimitair.
We stripped off all our Stitchbirds, till we were naked in the filty Muck
And I then I took her Velvet Swift, to sit upon my Woody Duck.
“Caw Caw! Upon my Woody Duck!”
Then I threw her Velvet Asity down, and I ripped off Raven’s skirt,
I was no Gentoo-man, as I Spurfowl-ed her in the dirt. Caw Caw"
I Craveri’d to up her Ani, I knew this was a Ruff Shag
Give me a Rosy-Finch . . . Don’t stop unless you’re a Fag!
"Kittiwake Kittiwake," I cried and she said, “Guan! Guan!”
I was a Happy Wren my Trogon, jumped out of her gapin Hoatzin yawn!
Out my Flycatcher, leapt a Fairy Quill,
My Hornbill, spilled to her Bushtit dark and Hairy.
“Moa Moa” she cried. She never Quetzal,
Raven was singin’ like a Nightingale merry!
“You’re a Loverbird! It must be your Eurasian Hobby!”
“Your Drongo’s longer than a Currawong.
No wonder you’re so afully Noddy!”
And it was that moment that I Lyrebirded to Raven,
Lyre-ed right there in that Park . I told Raven I Lovebird-ed her.
All for her Bushtit Bushlark.
I swore Molothrus Ater, I Sora so Fulvetta,
A Gannet her a Divers bunch of lies,
A whole crop of Dotterel I Shoveler’d her
. . . just so I could get Broadbill.
“Dat’s Koel” she said, I hoped she was not a Tattler
"White-don't-Eye do Forktail, It won't make me strain Wryneck!"
Oh she’ll Crane and Crow , and then Swallow
When she takes my Flowerpecker.
She Duck-ed tho when she Dove,
Though I hoped she’d be a deeper Diver!
A Gannet and a Gannet her Sapsucker Godwit
I really thought she Woodswallow . . . . .
But just then my Bananaquit.
[A Frigatebird may make Fantail,
And all above eat Fieldfare
A Flameback Finch’s may Dickcissel,
Ozel leaps out of one’s Flycatcher!
I Taiwan-ed on a Barwing, and checked in with a credit card down,
I Wrentit me a Bowerbird, at a five-star Hoaz’in town.
Raven liked the Bellbird, he gave her his Gold Kea,
I had to keep a White-eye, on the Waders that stayed so near!
We bought some Silken Satinbird, from a Weaverbird in the city,
She was Hairbird Cactus Wren, and Bee-Eating Veery Nody!
Raven dropped her Stitchbirds, for the Phillipine Tailorbird to show it’,
And flaunted her Penduline Tits there, and Hairy Pipipi as he sewed it!
You should have seen the Dollarbirds fly, for Longspurs, at a fancy Shoebill shop.
Then I bought a Fur-tive Flycatcher, and a Plushcap to Godwit it on top,
We gambled Dollarbirds at Galahs, and danced out at elegant Storks,
Raven was drinking Cisticola’s, we were feeding out with Kites and Forks.
I wore my Crow Silktails, Raven wore her Feather bust,
We pranced at the Museum of Mudhen Art, a Horned Coot with a Tanager in Rust.
I took her to the Flickers . . . the Black and White Trillers she liked best.
She wriggled and got all excited . . . even when she saw the Goldcrest
We started watching Bruce Leiothrix, and other martial Larks,
Raven was a Replendent Quetzal, I hummed a Versicolored Emerald tune,
We ate Blue Capped Cordon-Bleu, an’ slept at Gentoo Hoat'z’in town.
I Rooked her to a Jewelbird, and bought her a Ruby Topaz.
Then late one night, she gave me such a flight,
When she Ducked outa sight in her Bath!
She liked Kakapos and Corn Crakes, lying a'Loon in bed,
Her Gull-et was an Openbill, inside of Raven’s Kitiwate Red!
“Takahe of this!” I said. I thought to light a Reefer.
Raven was my girlfriend now, by now I thought she was Akepa!
We’re just two Grebes smokin’ weed, I thought we might go a-Lapwing
I’d give her a Dunlin for a ring, and thought we might Teal the Knot,
But when she started Barwing, then I Smew she was a Leafbird fond of Pot.
“Caw Caw! . . . She’s a Leafbird fond of Pot”
Raven needed Minla, so I Loon-ed Raven Murre Monia,
Sure e-Chough I got the Merganser, I said that's not funny!"
It’s a Pitta, It’s a Shama and Murre,
My Gull Raven’s a Siskin Greenleaf addict for sure!
"Caw Caw! . . . A Greenleaf addict for sure!"
“Forktail the Munia, I Linnet ya little Northern Flicker!
“Yur a Bleedin’-heart, You got no Lark! You’re a lousty Tit-Babbler
“Wheres the Minla I Linnet Tinamou?
That Gull Raven of Myna is Wrentit Juncoo!
Caw Caw!” . . . Gull of Myna is a Wrentit Juncoo!”
You’re a Little Grassbird Raven . . and Grassquit you’ll do for sure!
But what are these Needletales? Don’t Lyrebird to me any Murre!
“Don’t Grebe me no Bullfinch, else I Loon you a Blackeye!
What are these Stubtails?, These Needle Tails? You're a Liarbird for sure!"
I Linnet her ten Francolins, and by day’s end “Shortwing!” Harp-eye.
“The Monal’s all Niltava! I don't have Ani Manee Towee!“
Oh she’ll Pratincoll, Crane and Crow
And then she'll Welcome Swallow.
But then I learned my Gull Raven’ll,
Would Jabiru me in the Knots for sure.
“Caw Caw!” . . . “Jabiru in the Knots for sure!”
Then I caught her Bulbul Teal-in’, Silver Kites 'n Forks ‘n Tern
Wag-in-Tail, Cockoo, an’ actin’ all Imperial Dove and Bittern.
“I’m so Sora, I’ve been Greebe-y, I’ve been Veery Noddy.”
“Guan Shrike a Tanager you Gentoo Man!"
You a makin’ me Siskin, it Smews how Shrike u Skimmer.”
This I'll Egret forever, an' knocked her on the Florican.
“Don’t Toucan, Let me go, l promise I’ll Grassquit”
“Don’t go, don’t go just yet”, I’m Mocking her Penquin.
“You’re a Malle-Fowl, I ain’t done wid Piculet.”
“No Hoatzin, I’ll throw you Owlet on ur Nightjar!”
“I’m makin a Scops-Owl, Swallowin’ Murre and Murre
No Monal left in this Moorhen? To the Hammercop u must go to Murre!”
“Caw! Caw! To the Hammercop u must go to Murre!"
Godwit I’ll Coot catch her Bobwhite,
From Heron I’ll not Thrush about it.
Gannet, Even when I take her to a Triller “Drongo”
And when she Shrikes and lies out . . .
Then I’ll Fly out and Catcher! . . . . . “Caw Caw!”
“Yuhina Out?”, In some ways Hammerkop.
I really hate to Harrier-her,
Eider Roller in return, She been a Robin and a 'Teal-in
I ought to have her Condor, or have her made Dikkop
Raven’s a Dollarbird, she’ll Gyre a story Weaver
It’s all Fish Owl, Oh she’ll Crane and Crow,
and then Swallow, all nice and sobby.
“Caw Caw! She’s been Loon-y for a Hobby!"
“Caw Caw!” . . . “ She’s been Loon-y for a Hobby.
We went back to Bushtit Park,
And Raven and I took again to Shag’n.
My One-Eyed Wryneck came 'a poking up
And Eider Ruff Shag-ed my darling Raven.
"And Turdus Grayi?"
One day my Dove was Diving along the Audobon
We weren’t even speeding, just Lazuli Bunting along,
I was lying in Raven’s lap, and tickling her Orioles,
It was fun counting her Titties, and looking for her one or two Moles.
“Kittlizt Plover, I’ve got to go Pipipi!”
“Murre Pipipi Raven? You’re the Pewee of Mississippi!”
Caca Guan fall out, along with Turdus Grayi
Upupidae in the Minivet!" Just then I heard a Honker!
"Crash, our Caracara had Kill-d-a-Deer!
My precious Minivet, my Red Lory couldn’t steer!
The wheels were Warblered, Wren we were looking for a Towhee truck
That was the moment I’d come to fear, as my Raven had run Sora luck.
A Crested Copperbird came over,
"Plover," he says, "Plover!
I’m Givin’ you the Collar’d Dove,” he says,
"Osprey-ed you breakin the Law!"
"I'll hear you sing Canary!”
“Ain’t Dunlin nothin’” Raven cried.
"Fulvetta confession," he said.
"I want a Fulmar Avadavat," she cried.
I offered him a Silverbill, but he had a Golden-eye,
Raven’s Spot-Breasted Oriole the Copperbird did Osprey.
"Fork-me-Over some-tail, an’ you won’t go to Jay-L!"
But Raven said "Goldfinch yurself, you Fulmar Horned Bustard!"
So with an Avadavat he claimed she was a Lyrebird, and into prison she was Buzzard.
I Wren an' got an Avocet, he sent papers with a Merganser,
I Babbled to an Avadavat, to a moustached Accentor,
Next thing you know I’m posting Quail,
Forktailing over more Moola!
All so this Quail can get my Gull, outta this Godwit Jay-L!
"Caw! Caw! . . . Outta this Godwit Jay-L!"
Raven’s let out on Parula,
Crake! It cost me Fody Francolins.
And what do you think she does?
Caw Caw! She throws a punch,
At my Broadbilled Treecreeper!
"No Parula," said the Ibis d’bill, it’s all my Bank Wood Swallow,
Sapayoa yur Bill, and I’ll take care of your Papyrus Canary!
“I’m not the Least Greeby! You could Least have some Graceful Pitta! . . . .”
I thought that Wood Ptarmigan,
Raven’s on the Lammer-geier . . .
Someday I really ought t’ Thrasher
While she’s Roadrunnin’ out there Robin‘ and Teal-in’ Murre.
Me I’ll not Shrike a Tanager
She’s Hoopoe’n I’ll Gnatcatcher I’m sure . . .
I really hate to Spurfowl her,
Shelduck everything I say . . .
I really ought to Chukkar Peafowl out,
For what Raven did to me that Day.
“Caw Caw” . . . “For what Raven did to me that Day.”
Then one Nightjar my Poorwill sang in heaven,
I opened up my Crow, and saw who'd rang was Raven.
She was Blackcap, wearing Macaw, and hair lookin all Curlew.
For a moment I Coot a’ Crossbilled her Violet-Ear,
An'felt my swelling Groundpecker.
But in a Moorhen, our love had Pootoo and Guan,
Raven pulled a Riflebird, I caught it and threw it down.
She pulled a Razorbill, but I caught her Rubythroat
I threw her on the Florican. “Common Ant Shrike a Tanager”, she Crow-ed,
“You Turdus assimilius!”
“Auk!” she cried, “You’ll get the Garot for this!”
“Don’t you Toucan! Godwit you’re gonna Gannet!”
“Sibia Care! You’re a Bustard”, she Crowed, she had to Flamingo.
“Caw Caw! . . . Crombec! Raven! Crombec! She had to Flamingo!""
“You’re a Bustard” she Crowed, We were gonna Marial Guan,
I’m Bay Wren a Child . . . Caw Caw! Suddenly I'm A Mute Swan,
What am I suddenly Heron? Could she be a Lyrebird? . . . .
“Is the Plaintive Cuckoo?” asked an Avocet with an Ara Militaris.
“Friarbird in Oilbird . . . She’s a Bataleur.”
“I Sea a Dove, but you say’s she’s a Bataleur,”
“Does she have a Lawyerbird? How does the defendant plead?”
“No Egrets, from Heron, No Bitterns at all. She’s a Fregata minor,
Sterna neglecta, and hence pleads Guillemot, and requests a Lesser Nothura.”
Raven pleaded Guilty and was Regulidae in chains.
An I’m not sure e-Chough I’ll ever see my little Gull Raven again.
Hwamei here? White-eye do it?
From Heron no Egrets.
I’ll not Grouse, or Rail at how Bird I am,
I’m not Moorhen, or even take a-Pelican,
Not the Least Bittern, I’ll take my Tern,
I thought I might Gnatcatcher.
What should I Dowitcher?
How I ought to Thrasher?
Oh Frigate! I’ll not Thrasher or Whipporwill!
But I know she’s not a Green Crombec
I’d Shoveler shit for a bit a Tit, so Owl ‘not flap about it!
She’s a Goose let loose, two Boobies with Tits an Orioles
She loves a Cock-at-tou, an’ a PeeWee’s Peafowl call
But I ain’t no Quail or a Limp-dic-kin Rail
So what ever Nuthatch, she a Least do one Ostrich,
An’ spend at Least Swan Stint in Jay-L .
“Caw Caw” . . . “An’ spend at Least Swan Stint in Jay-L !”
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