Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CALIFORNIA DISSONANCE, by JAMES RORTY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CALIFORNIA DISSONANCE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: There is a peewee bird that cries
Last Line: Which helps to make the country grow.
Subject(s): Birds; California


There is a peewee bird that cries
"La, sol, me,
"La, sol, me."
He is the only thing that sighs
Beside the western sea.

The blue jays chatter "Tcha! Tcha! Tcha!"
And cheer for California.
The real estate men chortle "Whee!"
And toot the loud calliope.
The sky is blue, the land is glad --
The peewee bird alone is sad
And sings in minor key
"La, sol, me,
"La, sol, me."
He is the only thing that sighs
Beside the western sea.

It was a shock, I own, to see
Sedition sitting in a tree,
Remarking plainly, "La, sol, me,
"La, sol, me,
"La, sol, me."
The peewee bird is very wrong
To voice such sentiments in song
Beside the western sea.

I said: "My bird, you ought to know
Enough to sing 'Do, me, sol, do,'
In major thirds, you see, for so
You'll help to make the country grow."

"You'll make the country grow, my dear --
So lift your little bill and cheer,
'Do, me, sol, do,'
'Do, me, sol, do.
You can't be singing 'la, sol, me,'
We simply must have harmony."

I think the bird, could not have heard --
He chanted still, I give my word,
"La, sol, me,
La, sol, me."
And gloomed in obstinate dissent
From healthy public sentiment.

And yet I can not help but hope
The peewee bird will cease to mope;
For surely he will feel in time
The influence of the sunny clime;
Ah, yes, the peewee bird will soon
Be thinking lovely thoughts in tune;
The warnings of right-thinking men
Will bring him to himself again.
Converted, he will win to grace
And lift to God a shining face;
And he will be no longer sad
But so obstreperously glad
That he will sing from morn to night
Unbroken paeans of delight!
"Do, me, sol, do,
"Do, me, sol, do."
Which helps to make the country grow.





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