The Blues

We have a new housemate called Batman.
Batman is a mouthwash
blue Budgerigar;
he lives in the living room next
to my favourite armchair.

Paul is teaching him to say
dirty words.
He keeps denying it,
But I hear him when I
have gone to bed.

Megan swears blind the bird barked
‘muffintop’ as she past
this morning. I’m sure
he was just clearing
his throat.

I’d like Batman
to sing the Blues;
my record player
has barely rested
since he arrived.

Today he heard Martha,
by Tom Waits.
Over and over I repeated the words
“Meet me there for coffee
and we’ll talk about it all”.

I hope in time
he’ll learn,
for now all he offers
Is a single, sad,
chirrup.