A Pelican Crossed

Nonsense poem about pelicans, written for Writers Cramp.

A Pelican Crossed

As lunch break came, I left my seat
To wander through the City streets  -
Perhaps purchase a spot of lunch,
Of something strange I had a hunch.

No sooner had I reached the square
All I could do was stop and stare!
A group of pelicans there stood,
Fowl strangers in the neighbourhood

But these were not your average birds
Reality was somewhat blurred.
To my amazement they were dressed
In attire from the Wild West!

I counted them - fourteen in all
About to start some bad bird brawl,
And at their fore, huge as a man,
The leader of this feathered clan.

That pelican - he drew his gun,
It glistened in the midday sun.
He glared at me all beady eyed,
His comrades standing at his side.

The air weighed heavy as a ton.
Somewhere outside a clock struck one.
I realised my fated lot;
He raised his wing and took a shot.

I hit the ground and as I fell,
This rising thought I could not quell,
That average Autumn day in Bristol-
I should have thought to bring a pistol.



28 lines