Two Unlikely Friends Poem by Stephen Katona

Two Unlikely Friends

Rating: 4.4


I have to say I'm quite a magpie,
I'm bold, bright and never shy.
Perhaps you know my dearest relation?
Like me he's a friendly Australian.
We're quite different in size,
And only one of us flies.
I've feathers but he's the hairier.
Have you guessed he's a Jack Russell terrier?
His name is Whiskey.
I'm told it's as he's rather frisky.

We take it in turns to play 'attack',
While the other rolls onto their back.
To him I've the strength of a flea,
But I'm sure he'd never hurt me.
No harm comes from tooth or beak,
Our friendship is quite unique.
We're a shining example of how kin,
May each wear a very different skin.

We may not look like one another,
But we share the same mother.
When she first called me from my tree,
She told me her name was Bonnie,
And fed me from her hands,
So I grew to trust her commands.
Now I've become quite tame,
For this kindly dame.
She says I'm the only magpie,
That helps hang her washing out to dry.
I like it when she calls me Squawk,
I'm told it's how I tend to talk.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Topic(s) of this poem: animals
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
A few years ago Bonnie Thompson uploaded a youtube video of her Jack Russell terrier Whiskey playing with an Australian magpie she calls Squawk. This poem tells the story from Squawk's point of view. Many thanks to Diane Hine who recommended I watch the video.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Bri Edwards 16 April 2015

i like the title also.

2 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 16 April 2015

I'm told it's as he's rather frisky. .......wow! a line with 3 apostrophes, AND all of them used correctly! ! ! ! you should be teaching English! the rhyming is very nice; it might even have been written by me. and, more importantly, I can understand the poem …………… unless of course this poem is really about Australian politics! my favorite lines: “No harm comes from tooth or beak, Our friendship is quite unique. We're a shining example of how kin, May each wear a very different skin.” ………. but how would you feel about taking the first two lines from the next stanza and moving them up to end this stanza? like this: “No harm comes from tooth or beak, Our friendship is quite unique. We're a shining example of how kin, May each wear a very different skin. We may not look like one another, But we share the same mother.” ………………………just a thought. :) yeah, thanks, Diane. bri :)

2 0 Reply
Valsa George 24 March 2015

We're a shining example of how kin, May each wear a very different skin. The story of this amazing friendship between the magpie and terrier is so interesting! Friendships can emerge between people and also animals of different dispositions and even of totally different breed!

1 0 Reply
Hazel Durham 18 March 2015

Wonderful, entertaining write with great rhyming, I really enjoyed this heart-warming poem!

2 0 Reply
Aftab Alam Khursheed 18 March 2015

Keep the boldness this the requirement of present era keep it up thanks a lot nice poem

2 0 Reply
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Stephen Katona

Stephen Katona

Manchester, UK
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