Barry the Seagull

October 23, 2017

O! Barry was a royal seagull.
Barry was a regal bird.
Barry had monarchic leanings.
Barry Edgar Gull III.

Barry was a cut above
all other gulls upon the beach.
When they cawed and screeched and bickered,
Barry gave a speech.

And when the others fought for dinner
Barry flew above the fray.
Barry took his meals alone
upon a silver dinner tray.

O! Barry had a stately bearing.
Barry had a princely mien.
Barry was the noblest seagull
man or beast had ever seen.

One day Barry found a castle
With a moat and towers twain.
And seeing that it was abandoned,
Barry staked his lordly claim.

Barry, Barry, regal seagull,
Barry Edgar Gull III.
When didst thou first know thou wast
a leader for yon other birds?
(When, Lord B., had this occurred?)

Barry perched upon one tower,
taking in his vast domain.
Then he perched upon the other,
taking it all in again.

See him now upon his rampart!
See him on his parapet!
Behold him there self-satisfied;
and plump with pride. And yet, and yet…

For now propelled by treach’rous wind,
to lay its seige upon that strand
There came a vulgar, knavish wave,
and razed his empire in the sand…

O! Barry, dear beleaguered seagull.
Barry, dear beruffled bird!
Seaward washed thy stately fortress,
Seaward swept without a word.

Whence thy kingdom, baffled Barry?
Whither now thy vast domain?
Where wilt thou e’er find a castle
Of such eminence again?

But see him now — doth he look vanquished?
See him there  — doth he look blue?
Well I ask you, doth he? Doth he?
Perhaps he doth!

But wouldn’t you?