I was sitting in my room today when I heard a tap tap tapping upon my window. When I looked out I saw a dark coloured bird just sitting there. It's a bloody raven I thought, I'll wring the damn things neck and it'll bother me never more. When I opened the window and made a grab for it though it said wait Owen don't and then it said you've been reading too much Poe again haven't you. Fuck I said it's the Poetry Parrot. Yes thats right it said now let me in and give me a wash cos I'm all dirty and then I'll tell you what I've been up to. well I did this and soon our friends plumage was as bright as ever and he sarted talking to me. He said this: You remember that I used to fly around the sinister members staying with each one for a week and then giving all of sinister a poem before the member sent me on to another member. Well a while back I got lost somewhere in north America and just wandered lonely as a cloud for quite some time. It was tough and with nobody to look after me I became the dirty wretch which you saw earlier. I realised that I had to do something or I would die but how could I find a member of sinister in such a large world. It was then that I thought I know if I fly to Scotland and then just follow the smell of cinnamon then I'll find that strange wizard chap and so I did and now that I've found you we can give all of sinister a poem and then you can send me on so that we can have a poem every monday and things will be just like they used to be. well I told the parrot that I thought this was a great idea and we picked up a book of poetry called the new modern poetry which we thought was funny 'cos the book was over 30 years old and anyway it fell open at a page with this poem on, it's called Parliament Of Cats and it's by D.J. Enright. The cats caught a Yellow-vented Bulbul. Snatched from them, for three days it uttered Its gentle gospel, enthroned above their heads. Became loved and respected of all the cats. Then succumbed to internal injuries. The cats regretted it all profoundly, they would never forget the evil they had done. Later the cats caught a Daurian Starling. And ate it. For a Daurian Starling is not A Yellow-vented Bulbul. (genuflection.) Its colouring is altogether different. It walks in a different, quite unnatural fashion. The case is not the same at all as that of The Yellow-vented Bulbul. (genuflection.) The kittens caught a Yellow-vented Bulbul. And ate it. What difference, they ask, between A Yellow-vented Bulbul and that known criminal The Daurian Starling? Both move through the air In a quite unnatural fashion. This is not The Yellow-vented Bulbul of our parents' day, Who was a Saint of course! (genuflection.) Well I hope you liked that, we did, but the Poetry Parrot says that he's glad he isn't a Yellow-vented Bulbul or a Daurian Starling. I'm also glad that I'm not a Yellow-vented Bulbul or a Daurian Starling. Anyway we were talking about where the parrot could go next and at first we thought that GEORGE DICKIE could be a good idea as his use of space can be quite exhillerating. but then we thought no cos all those capitals would give poor old ee cummings a headache and we couldn't have that could we. Instead I sent the parrot on to Archel in the hope that after looking after him for a week he might induce her to give us one of her own great poems. I also thought this was a good way for her to inspire other people to write something and send it to her for her little publication (shameless plug I know). so the parrot has gone and I'm left all alone so it must be time for bed. we'll meet again in one weeks time to see what's in Archels head. Goodnight love owen With that the narrow wizard waggled his bushy eyebrows and disappeared in a flash of blue flame leaving behind only a faint smell of cinnamon +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the reborn Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". WWW: http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +-+ "jelly-filled danishes" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+