Never told Nursery Rhymes

One Eyed Bird

I once saw a bird,

With only one eye,

I'm certain as mud,

It's watching me die.

The heavens are open,

For most girls and boys,

But I hear there's one creature,

The devil employs.

A sweet little bird,

With only one eye,

Like a great mustard marble,

A glistening spy.

That plump rotted eye,

Unblinking with lust,

To seize little babies,

And children I trust.

For god in his kingdom,

Awaits girls and boys,

Who perish too early,

To give them gold toys.

But one little bird,

Is numbered among,

The funny old lot,

From one lower rung.

When children who sin,

And laugh at their charms,

And think they are safe,

From devilish arms.

The little bird comes,

And sits up a tree,

Or on a roof beam,

Just waiting to see.

And when you are bad,

You'll see it up there,

Just watching and waiting,

And wanting it's share.

When I was just little,

And wicked indeed,

I once had a friend,

We called him Jim Reed.

When Jim Reed and me,

Set fire to a house,

And Jim Reed tormented,

An innocent mouse,

We fell to the fire,

And slept in the smoke,

And then just by chance,

I sat up and woke.

Poor Jim Reed was yelping,

And gasped with alarm,

As the small bird with one eye,

Gripped tightly his arm.

And hoisted his soul,

All yellow and green,

Up out of his body,

A useless machine.

And dropped him so cruelly,

Down some great hole hidden,

Like an eagle and tortoise,

To a place god-forbidden.

That bird I still see,

Up perched on the door,

But I am too heavy

To lift anymore.

So think on that, children,

And always behave,

And if you are wicked,

Keep distant the grave.

For the bird has no power,

Upon children living,

But for children wicked,

He's never forgiving.

I reckon I'll see him,

As far as I go,

And high up in heaven,

He'll peer from below.