ORNITHOLOGICAL ORCHESTRA

one morning i was fast asleep
a thing one most enjoys
but then as dawn was crackin'
came a wacky sort of noise

i tottered to the window
to a tree, my ear was bent
and here i found the source
of all the boisterous merriment

its sounds absurd
but there were birds
of every shape and size
it seems they've formed an orchestra
i can't believe my eyes

these feathered things
that couldn't sing
had found a way to vent
they gave up voice
and as a choice
had learned an instrument

a finch with french horn clenched
was playing better than you'd think
and little wrens played violins
which were perfectly in sync

a sparrow with a clarinet
a great horned owl on horn
and crows were picking banjos
since they were so fond of corn

the eagle, oh so regal
pounding on piano, grand
and a robin, head a-bobbin'
played the trombone in the band

the swans were playing trumpet
and a duck squawked notes on sax
watched an oriole as a bow he pulled
'cross a cello forth and back

the chickens clucked and deftly plucked
acoustic guitar strings
and the humming birds were drumming birds
how quickly beat their wings

a goose was getting loose
and playing jew's harp as he blew
with tissue paper and his comb
a rooster on kazoo

the swallow played the tuba
he could really hold his breath
had a dodo on the oboe
but he played himself to death

a pelican on mandolin
a thrush on snare drum, brushed
plus a stork, i saw, in this orchestra
with a bass, to his chest, crushed

and they all began to ravin'
didn't matter to these fowls
that it was sleep, that i was cravin'
not their bangin' and their howls

i began to plea, the symphony
must disband so noise would cease
they began to scoff
but they all flew off
when i called the bird police