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LOVESONG OF THE
CHACHALACA
The chachalaca’s a very strange bird.
He tastes like chicken, I’ve heard.
He looks like a pheasant
But not colored as pleasant,
For he’s muddy-brown-gray, in a word.
He walks with a haughty proud hop,
But flies awkwardly, up to the top
Of trees large and small.
Then squawks out his call:
‘Cha-cha-LAC’ he repeats without stop.
Old Mexico, that is his home,
But across Rio Grande he will roam
To annoy deep south Texas
With his vocal excesses.
A raucous far cry from a pome!
In spring, he longs for affection.
So he calls out in every direction:
‘Cha-cha-LOOK-e at me
I’m handsome as can be.
Pretty girl-bird, make me your selection!’
‘Cha-cha-LA, come my beauty to find me.
Cha-cha-LET’s go away and make whoopie!
Cha-cha singing ‘till dawn
Cha-cha then dancing on,
Cha-cha-LOC’d deep in love’s ecstasy!’
‘Cha-cha-LET us then go build a nest,
There lay some eggs – only the best –
Together we’ll hatch ‘em,
Our big happy batch, then
Cha-cha-LET’s fly down south for a rest.
‘Cha-cha-LUCK, Oh! lucky me,
I’m as happy as I can be,
She’s coming my way!
Oh, I hope she’ll stay
And join me here in my tree!’
4/23/10 - mshr |