My Neighbor’s Hens

My neighbor’s hens delight to come

     And make a morning call;

In fact their chosen roosting place

     Is in my garden wall.

And every time my back is turned

     They come with skip and bound,

And do the buck and wing upon

     My newly planted ground.

They like to wander in my paths,

     And while the hours away;

They compliment my gardening

     At sunrise every day.

You see their land it is so plain,

     And mine so super fine,

That they prefer to leave their own

     And roam around in mine.

My neighbor’s hens I’d sorely miss

     If they should move away;

You see they undertake to change

     My scenery every day.

And then if they should fail to come

     I’d grow so good, fear I,

This earth would be no place for me,

     I’d surely have to die.

April 20, ‘09