Magnificent Bird

In a glossy monthly magazine
With lush ads hawking luxury
I read about a young woman
It got me down

It described her songs as sorcery
Troubled childhood transformed to be
Magnificent rare birds
Rare birds of sound

I felt the pangs of pettiness and jealousy swell in my chest
How easy to forget you’re already blessed

Envy makes me feel ashamed
I suppose that’s why I stepped away
For a year clear of the scroll

A picc line drip of glowing hearts
Righteousness and shopping carts
As if it could ever make us whole

And when my friends call and tell me that
It’s worse than before, friendly fire
And hungry for more
I don’t know what to say

Set those feelings in a drawer
Swallowed the key and locked the door
And walked right out of the room

I put that rare bird’s record on
Tried my best to sing along
The words were unfamiliar
But I could carry the tune