Want a Cracker?

Polly, want a cracker?

Want a pirate?
Want a pirate’s shoulder

To sit on

And perch from

And waddle to and fro on?

Want a curse word to learn?

A secret?
A secret to a treasure?
To a pirate’s treasure?

To the location of a buried chest

At the bottom of the ocean

Next to a sunken ship

And an octopus?

Want a cracker?
Want a cookie?
Want some birdseed?

Seems like you

Should want

Some birdseed

Want a cage?
Want to be set free?
Want a jungle to fly in?

Are you worried about poachers?
Do you know what a poacher is?

While we’re on the topic

Of what you know

And don’t know--

Do you know the meaning

Of the words you’re saying?

Is it all just repetition?

Could I find this out

In a book about parrots?

Should I read a book like that

Before taking you in?

Do I look like a responsible

Pet owner to you?

Do I look like someone

You could get along with?

Do I look like I could be a pirate?
Do I look like I could pillage?

Plunder?

Set up a plank?

Do I look like I could pull off

An eye patch?

And doesn’t pulling off

The eye patch
Defeat the purpose?

Do my shoulders look

Appealing to you?

What if I sprinkled

Some crushed up crackers

On them?

How good does my vocabulary be

For you to feel like

We could have a beneficial

Pet/owner relationship?

Are you comfortable

With the terms

‘Pet’ and ‘Owner?’

Would you prefer

Piratically-affiliated?

Have you ever flown

In the sky?

Or even mid-air?

What’s the difference

Between mid-air

And the sky?

Have you ever been mid-air

And thought--

Yeah, I mean,

This is nice

But I’d prefer the sky

Do you realize that--

While I can let you fly around my house--

I really can’t let you fly outside

Because a hawk could eat you

Do hawks eat parrots?

What do you eat?

Crackers?

Do you want a cracker?

A corncob?

A croissant?

When did you last eat?

How often do you eat?

Are you worried about gaining weight?

How much weight could you gain

Before flying

Would be out of the question?

Do you want to ask me something?

Are you shy?

Do you have the words you need

To connect

To me?

Well--speak up

Otherwise I might as well

Buy a parakeet