• Three pretty birds sit
    Preening, preening
    on the humbled olive branch
    Three pretty birds sit
    Preening, preening
    trilling their sticky sweet song
    "Oh, what dashing feathers I have,"
    sings One.
    "Purest white, like an elegant swan,"
    flutters Two.
    "If not for those dull grays on your back,"
    twitters Three.
    Three pretty birds sit
    Preening, preening
    "Aren't my chest feathers lovely?"
    quavers Two.
    "Cherry red is quite becoming,"
    concedes One.
    "But ruined for those brown wings,"
    tweets Three.
    Three pretty birds sit
    Preening, preening
    "My, what a succulent voice I have!"
    warbles Three.
    "True, you sing quite well,"
    begrudges Two.
    "Except for your sharp tongue!"
    hoots One.
    Three pretty birds sit
    Preening, preening
    on the smug olive branch
    One plucks the feathers
    from her shameful back
    Two tears off her wings
    and casts them away
    Three bites off her tongue
    and never sings thereafter
    Three petty birds sit
    weeping, weeping
    What is a bird naked of feathers?
    What is a bird bound to the earth?
    What is a bird who sings of no joy?
    Three pretty birds sit
    preening, preening