Magnificent Bird

In a glossy monthly magazine

With lush ads hawking luxury

I read about a young woman

It got me down

It described her songs as sorcery

Troubled childhood transformed to be

Magnificent rare birds

Rare birds of sound

I felt the pangs of pettiness and jealousy swell in my chest

How easy to forget you’re already blessed

Envy makes me feel ashamed

I suppose that’s why I stepped away

For a year clear of the scroll

A picc line drip of glowing hearts

Righteousness and shopping carts

As if it could ever make us whole

And when my friends call and tell me that

It’s worse than before, friendly fire

And hungry for more

I don’t know what to say

Set those feelings in a drawer

Swallowed the key and locked the door

And walked right out of the room

I put that rare bird’s record on

Tried my best to sing along

The words were unfamiliar

But I could carry the tune