This is dedicated to all who have entered or are thinking of entering a poetry competition.

An Amazonian proverb screeched by a flailing bird

By all the forest creatures one balmy day was heard.

A multi-coloured parrot flying just for fun

Fell towards the river and into it did plunge.

 

An Amazonian gentleman canoeing by the spot

Turned to his companion and said - not a lot -

But - in his mind he pondered the proverb of the day

And then he sagely nodded in an Amazonian way.

 

What was the wisdom given, descending from the trees,

By that multi-colour parrot flying just to tease?

As best as remember, as best as I recall,

'T was, “'T is better to have flied and flailed

Than not to have flied at all.”

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