Much was lost in those days of rain
Yet little that I miss,
But the sight I most enjoyed:
The starling flock of which I reminisce.
The clever ones found a piece of bread
Among the rubbish lost in floods
And dropped the burden to the ground
Which soon mired in fetid muds;
And the starlings, black and grey,
All came down to seize the day.
Many came to quarrel on it-
That they should be gourmand-
Of that loathsome, soiled food
Of which they’re all so fond.
The loudest, not the largest as I’d thought
Would often in the caucus win
The right to boisterously peck
At this bread so stale and thin;
But quickly challengers regrouped
And feather storms ensued;
And for a great while, watching-
I enjoyed this worthless feud.
And the starlings, black and grey,
All took part in this fool’s fray.
So long and loudly did they bicker,
That in time some larger creature,
Sauntered in and feasted sweetly,
Behold the wild, life’s great teacher;
And the starlings, black and grey
Each sulked off, on their own way;
And the starlings, black and grey
Have learned nothing from that day.
prince nothing 