Thursday, May 10, 2007

TOTAL CHAOS FOREVERMONTH: Admiral Farragut


Elegant Choice and I returned yesterday night from a brief impulsive excursion to Savannah, and I was delighted to discover a nasty artistic treat awaiting my arrival. Loyal reader and fruitful contributor Admiral Farragut has taken it upon himself to illustrate a poem of his own brainy making! He writes, "Perhaps not as inspirational as the original, but making up the lack with its down-home, rock-solid practicality:

I know why the caged bird sings.
It's a bird in a cage. It has nothing to do but eat, crap, sing, or die.
Lacking hands or fingers it cannot even take up basket-weaving
or decorating its cage with artistic swirls
of its own feces.

I know why the caged bird sings.
It's the same reason that I watch television."

I must disagree, good Admiral. I find this about a billion times more inspirational than the original. Is it the part about basket-weaving that heartens me so, or the part about crapping and singing? Impossible to say.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Admiral,

Thank you for the delicious poem and painting. I love how the little musical notes are floating down onto the birdy's tongue like life-giving snowflakes onto the parched lips of POWs in an overcrowded prison railroad car. Lovely, and poignant. Send more soon!

-- j.a.

Patricia Lockwood said...

Agreed, James Audubon. Admiral Farragut is a national treasure.