when the mule sings
the birds will fall silent
the birds will fall silent
from among them they will choose a messenger
it will fly to the court of the emperor
and bowing with much decorum
will complain bitterly
and the emperor, who had long ago banished all cages
who until that moment had been astonished
by the birds’ flight and by their singing
will throw open the windows and listening
will detect in the mule’s song
some flaw of which he is particularly fond
and he will say to the bird:
“o stupid thing!
let the mule sing
for there has come about a need of change
there is a hunger now, a need
for different things”
for different things”
this is the mule’s favourite dream.
it’s his own invention.
deep in his brain’s warren it blossoms.
poem by Brian Patten
