Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Hey little woodpecker,

I see you up there,

Jockeying along a bare branch.

It’s quiet on the street,

Except for your beak,

You’re drumming me into a trance.

Hey little woodpecker,

I see you up there,

Hopping up, up and away,

The larvae of grubs,

Insects and bugs,

Are you all work and no play?

Hey little woodpecker,

I see you up there,

By the way: your belly’s not red.

Your belly is pink,

Your head’s the red part,

Why aren’t you ‘redhead’ instead?

Hey little woodpecker,

I see you up there,

I heard something strange yesterday.

Can you really wrap your tongue,

Around your brain to protect it,

You’ve got to be kidding…no way.

Hey little woodpecker,

I saw you up there,

But I had to keep walking my pup.

I hope to hear you again,

My acrobatic, feathered friend,

Visit me again, the next time I look up.