Poems, playlets, song lyrics and other items. Beevering away, Captain Mark

PRETTY POLLY

Scene: Man and woman by a bird-cage mounted on a table centre stage.

Parrot: Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day.

Woman: Why he's almost human.

Man: Not really. He doesn't understand the words. I never sat down to give him an education.

Parrot: Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day.

Woman: Him?

Man: That's right. If he'd any human intelligence at all he'd be swearing at me now for calling him Polly.

Parrot: Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day.

Woman: But he's so cute.

Man: Cute but not accute.  It's pissing down outside.

Parrot: Pretty Polly: Good morning. Nice day.

Woman: Did you teach him anything else?

Man: Oh I didn't teach him.

Parrot: Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day.

Woman: You didn't?

No. He was someone's escaped pet. The tribe on the island where I found him thought him a god in disguise,  or the reincarnation of a native's mother-in-law.

Parrot: Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day.

Woman: Mother-in-law?

Man: Well he does chirp on a bit, and about nothing really relevant.

Parrot: Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day.

Woman (to bird): Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day. Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day.

Man (shrugs)

Parrot: Pretty Polly. Good morning. Nice day.

CURTAIN