THE BALLAD OF THE SINGING STORK

A special delivery
is often made,
of a loving couple's
sweet young babe.

Wrapped in a blanket
and dangling out there
at the end of the bill
of a stork, in the air.

Sleeping and happy
the babies, they ride
through the summer skies
as the storks gently glide.

Gracefully flapping
their powerful wings,
not a sound; not a word;
to disturb precious slings.

Now Stan the stork,
he just loved to sing
but it was causing him
quite a fine ding-a-ling.

All of his babies
arrived wide awake
and what a dreadful noise
they would all make.

So they had to resolve
his unfortunate plight
and find a quick way
for a peaceful flight.

They tied up his tongue
in a tight little knot
but it soon broke free
before the babe reached the cot.

They needed a way
to keep his bill closed
so the babe in the blanket
could peacefully doze.

They tied the blanket
around his long bill
and they hoped and prayed
it would keep it quite still.

It worked out just fine
and the baby slept tight,
so from that day to this
they had long quiet flights.

A slight muffled snuffle
was all that they heard,
from the one-time tuneful
sweet delivery bird.



*

Written by Darren Scanlon, 15th April 2014.
Revised 14th March 2017.
©2017 Darren Scanlon. All rights reserved.