Amelia's Extraordinary Egg

Amelia was a turtle dove, she lead a normal life,
She was an average citizen, she was an average wife.
She had ordinary feathers and an ordinary tail,
She nested in a normal tree, above and average trail.
But something quite extraordinary happened to this bird,
Which some say is impossible, and all say is absurd.

When all the other birds were laying ordinary eggs,
And hatching normal chicks with average beaks and tails and legs,
Amelia laid and egg that was about 3 times her size,
And the forest fussed and whispered of this abnormal surprise.

The turkey was most troubled for he'd heard time and again,
About eggs of this great volume and the fright that lurked within.
"A wild terradactyl! Oh!" He cried with knocking knees,
"He'll tear apart the forest if he's raised improperly!
You can't afford to feed him. No! As hungry as he'll get,
He'll gobble up his teacher while he learns the alphabet.
It's too much risky work, my dear, too terrible, so true,
Destroy that terradactyl egg before is ruins you!"
But Amelia was patient, for patient you must be,
When you wait for something wonderful, it's worth it, certainly.

Belle, the neighbor mallard duck had quite a different take,
From the years she'd spent with finer folk at parties on the lake.
She remembered all the wealthy nests built neatly near the lawn,
And was certain that the egg was nothing less than two twinned swans.
"We all know my social tenure, I was the diamond debutante,
I can teach them charm and manners, all the things twinned swans could want.
Swans are birds of upperclass, with slender necks and legs,
Why is it not in my nest? Surely I should have that egg.
I know the proper etiquette, I know the do's and don'ts,
I'll raise them up respectfully, and quite frankly dear, you won't."
But Amelia was patient, for patient you must be,
When you wait for something wonderful, it's worth it, certainly.

Now the bull snake eyed the egg with a certain sly agenda,
And decided that his diet could afford a slight addenda.
So he conjured up a tale, and dawned a sympathetic face,
And he slithered to Amelia to present his hopeful case.
"I regret to now inform you that the life you hope to bud,
Is just an empty shell, my dear. Your egg is just a dud.
That monster of a portion, well, it simply cannot hatch,
The chromosomes and proteins do not make a solid match.
I'll take it off your hands, my dear, if that is what you please,
Tsk, tsk, it's such a tragedy, condolences, indeed."
But Amelia was patient, for patient you must be,
When you wait for something wonderful, it's worth it, certainly.

The baby mouse came tittering up to the crowded nest,
"What's in there, Miss Amelia? I simply cannot guess.
And I cannot wait to meet it, whatever it may be,
I will wait here like a grownup with collect and dignity."
But he quivered with excitement, and his whiskers flicked about,
He fidgeted and wiggled and he finally burst out,
"Oh I hope it hatches NOW, I do! I cannot wait to play!
I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, it hatches out today!"
Amelia told him to be patient, for patient you must be,
When you wait for something wonderful, it's worth it, certainly.

Now the peacock had been watching all the bustle and the fretting,
And he saw all the attention that Amelia was getting.
"Disrespectful and disgraceful!" He gasped in accusation,
"To flaunt a flashy egg like that one with no reservation!
Have you forgotten modesty? And tact? And self-respect?
I disapprove of this whole episode. The madness! I object!
Where's the good old fashioned standard, oh now what's a bird to do?
Eggs the size bullfrogs! What's this forest coming to!?"
But Amelia was patient, for patient you must be,
When you wait for something wonderful, it's worth it, certainly.

The weasel's eyes were widened, he was filled with sudden awe,
By the glittering opportunity, and the monstrous egg he saw.
"Bless my lucky stars!" He cried, "A dragon! Sure as day.
And folks will come from miles around to see him. And they'll pay.
We're rich! His shiny scales we can say have healing powers,
And we can charge a hefty fee to walk the steps up to his tower.
We must move into the city! We must show and advertise!
We'll commute across the planet when he's old enough to fly!"
But Amelia was patient, for patient you must be,
When you wait for something wonderful, it's worth it, certainly.

Now, the squirrel worked so hard at bringing food into her hut,
But noticed that Amelia hadn't hulled a single nut.
"She's got an egg like that, and hasn't earned it? My, the chances."
So she took it on herself to go and straighten circumstances.
"You must work work work, for joy like that, and dearie, I would know,
For I've hoarded POUNDS of nuts, and even then, my joy runs low.
Judging by your egg's great size, you should become employed.
You need at least two tons of nuts to quite deserve that joy."
But Amelia was patient, for patient you must be,
When you wait for something wonderful, it's worth it, certainly.

And finally the owl came to take a tiny peek,
At the egg the forest talked about with grunts and groans and squeeks.
Duds and shiny dragons, terradactyls and twinned swans.
People outraged and excited from the swamp to fancy lawns.
He sat and pondered all these things while gazing at the shell,
And finally looked up and stated, "Only time will tell."
And Amelia was patient, for patient you must be,
When you wait for something wonderful, it's worth it, certainly.

Finally, the egg was due it's hatching presentation,
And the forest gathered with a ruckus of anticipation.
Everybody's eyes were fixed and focused on the nest,
With silent hopes and fears and a most subtle hum of stress.
All at once the great egg shook, it wobbled and it slanted,
The crowd drew in it's breath, and the snake left, disenchanted.

Three chips of shell came tumbling down and landed in a heap,
And the congregation gasped to hear a most distinctive "yeep!"
And out came a long-awaited baby dove for all to see,
Amelia laughed, quite happy, and the turkey left, relieved.

But another shudder from the egg made the audience gasp again,
As another baby tumbled out and yeeped and gave a grin.
"Two baby chicks." The weasel moaned, "There's simply no more room,
For a dragon to be in that egg, my fortune, oh, it's doomed!"
He slinked back to his hole and didn't even flick his tail,
About the darling chicks at all, he only wanted shiny scales.

But that's not all, no no! ANOTHER baby wiggled out,
Accompanied by hoots and squeals and most astonished shouts.
The squirrel finally saw the situation as she ought;
That Amelia got a splendid gift, whether she earned it or did not.

And then, oh yes! You knew, you guessed! ANOTHER dove, yippee!
Hopped from the giant egg to join his happy family.
"Disgraceful!" Cried the peacock, "Untraditional, absurd!"
And he shouted o'r his shoulder as he left, "You gaudy bird!"

Then baby five came rolling out and blinked and gave a yawn,
And Belle saw that five babies is quite better than twinned swans.
"Well fine," She said, "It suits you well, five silly, brownish babes.
Running 'round ungracefully, who'd want that? Not me, no way."
And off she flew, and feeling very sorry for herself,
As she always did when other birds did fairly well.

And the last delightful baby, number six, came running on.
Six charming, fuzzy turtle doves, and one delighted mom.
"Horray!" exclaimed the baby mouse, "Six friends to play with me!"
They flapped and ran and squeeked and peeped, best friends quite instantly.
"How splendid," said the owl, "Amelia, congratulations."
And Amelia's heart swelled up with joy, quite glad she had been patient.