The foul chicken.

Racing 'cross meadows and forests and streams

Chasing away the dark and our dreams

The warm, golden fingers of the morning's new sun

Telling the chicken the day had begun

He fluttered his feathers and puffed out his chest

Perched on the gatepost, his back to the west

And signalled the start of a day that was new

With a hearty cock-a-doodle, a-doodle-cock-do

His day's toil over, his job being a doddle

He went down to where the ducks quacked, flapped and waddled

He strutted and clucked his way through the crowd

Of ducks gathered there and announced rather loud

"There's a pond needs be swum in and quacks to be quacked

Now get to work or I'll see you all sacked"

The same every morning, he'd appear with his frown

Squawking his orders and making ducks down

He bullied the cows, was a swine to the pigs

Got on nanny's goat and upset her kids

He scared all the lambs by shouting "mint sauce!"

Then went to the paddock and sat on the horse

Watching and waiting for that moment when

He'd catch a glimpse of that lovely, plump hen

The one that he'd fallen for, hook, line and sinker

Who just couldn't stand him, who thought him a stinker!

He saw her and called out, "cock-a-yoohoo"

But she just called back "Can't stop, things to do"

The horse looked around at the bird on his bum

And said "Tell me, chum, why you looking so glum?"

The chicken didn't answer, just stared hard and long

"What's up?" Asked the horse, "Did the cat take your tongue?"

"Oh my word," The chicken did squawk

"I had no idea that horses could talk?"

Now, the horse had been horsing around and about

Long before the proud rooster had cracked his way out

Of the egg that his mother had laid on the floor

Older and wiser, he'd seen it before

"Go on then, old timer", the chicken enquired

"She really should like me, I'm cock of the yard!"

The old horse just snorted, "If you want my advice

Learn to be nice or she'll never look twice"

He thought it a long shot, but well worth a try

Tomorrow he'd be a far nicer guy

That night he slept with a smile on his bill

And woke as the sun rose from behind the hill

He knocked on the door of the farmer's old house

Then whistled and wandered over to the little duck-house

Popped his head through the door and called quietly

"Cock-a-doodle-doodle, a-doodle-cock-dee"

All that day long he kept a smile on his beak

And took extra time to stop and to speak

With every farm animal, the great and the small

He smiled and was pleasant to one and to all

Silly songs he sang and silly jokes he told

All about chickens crossing a road

He'd struggled at first, he'd have to admit

But by that afternoon he'd got the hang of it

He went back to see his new friend, the old nag

Who stood in the field with his nose in a bag

"I did it, I've managed to be nice all day"

"That's great" said the horse as he munched on his hay

"And was she impressed with the new, nicer you?"

The chicken said "Impressed?  Impressed with me who?"

So busy being nice to the pigs in the pen

He'd forgotten all about the lovely, plump hen

A voice from behind, "cluck cluck cluck cooee

I'd heard you'd be here, waiting for me"

He stammered and stuttered, his cheeks flushing red

Lost for words, he nodded his head

"There's a barn dance tonight, I hear you'd like to go"

"I'd love to", Said the chicken, "but how did you know?

A cough from the horse, he looked over his shoulder

The horse smiled and said, "It was me who told her"

The barn didn't dance, but the barn-dance was great

The cock and the hen danced until late

They giggled and laughed as he walked his date home

He said he liked her eyes, she said she liked his comb

Then she said goodnight with a peck on the cheek

And ensured his new smile would last for a week

The cock of the yard strutted home to his bed

And dreamed of the chicken that one day he'd wed

The farmer's far happier with his new alarm call

As are the cows, the pigs, lambs and all

Each morning's now lovely if you're a duck

And, after a while, the chicken's smile stuck

Now older and wiser, each morning he wakes

And sets off for work as each new dawn breaks

A peck on the beak as he walks out the door

The cock of the yard, foul fowl no more.

J2H.