The Poet and the Cowbird

by EJ, circa 1980.

The poet and the cowbird sat,
beneath the melon tree.

The poet thought the time was late,
the cowbird, half-past three.

While waiting for the troubador,
(who left and hour ago),

the poet thought of one thing more,
he thought he ought to know:

"I think I thought a thought to think,
to think a thought or so,
for thinking thoughtful thoughts, I think,
is where it's at, you know."

Quoth the cowbird, "Where's the door?"

"Knowing knowledge, kneading knuckles,
knave's knife knights knit knots.
Knees in knickers knock on knolls,
these, I think, are thoughts."

Quoth the cowbird, "Mop the floor!"

"So here we sit 'neath melon tree,
discov'ring thinking's thoughts,
so we the wisest ones will be,
if buying's buys are bought."

Quoth the cowbird, "Please! No more!"

"I think I know we know the known,
the rest we do not know,
and through this knowledge we have shown,
the lawn we need to mow."

Quoth the cowbird, "I abhore!"