Llamas and Chickens

The Llamas and The Chickens

To my wonderful husband, Claud, on our 37th anniversary.

Refrain

Warpaint llama was a-kushing in wet sand beneath the trees,
the chickens had discovered that his wool was full of seeds.
They pecked and gleaned and cleaned the llama's coat.

Now Glacier and Apu had been best buds for many months,
but Warpaint, new and younger, had no bud to call his own.
So the chickens adopted him, even sat upon his back
while he kushed and chewed his cud in Texas heat.

A rooster tested Glacier, he hopped upon his back,
but Glacier wasn't Warpaint, he "spit-face" warned the cock.
The chicken, dumb 'bout llama signs, ignored the warning given
and got the spit spat right into his face.

Glacier and Apu sunning (playing dead) in their ash pit.

The chickens did alarm one morn, they made an awful ruckus
Claud rushed out to find some dogs, to take the llamas from us.
They'd jumped the fence it seems, some mischief to perform.
The chickens earned their keep that day, new heroes on the farm.

And Apu, demure Apu, while all this was going on
stood, neck stretched and chin up, beneath the green elm trees
A-hoping that some kind person would come along her way
and pull down a limb, just full of leaves, that she could strip
and munch (for lunch).

Glacier got a Sopris saddle on his birthday two
with brass and leather fixed to ash and red Cordura too.
He wore it proudly, yes hummed quite loudly,
with thoughts of trails, and packs, and llama schmooze.

	Spats
We took them all a-walking on a trail in P. Falls park with Jack and Spats and Phoenix, and some female llamas too. They climbed and jumped, they hiked and packed, and pleased their owners so we took them all to the river, where they splished and splashed. Oh ho!


At Christmas time, we showed the crowds at parades what llamas were at Converse, Buda, Comfort, and Austin's Chuy's too Dressed in our best in costumed fest, in red and green and gold we marched beside our camel kin. On them their people rode.

Christi, Norman, Thelma, and Louise the cattle pals
competed for the grain and hay the llamas always got.
They mooed and bellowed every night outside the latched front gate
to no avail, except when it was hot (and dry).

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