The parrot, screeching, flew out into the darkness, br Circled three times above the upturned faces br With a great whir of brilliant outspread wings, br And then returned to stagger on her finger. br She bowed and smiled, eliciting applause. . . br The property man hated her dirty birds. br But it had taken years--yes, years--to train them, br To shoulder flags, strike bells by tweaking strings, br Or climb sedately little flights of stairs. br When they were stubborn, she tapped them with a wand, br And her eyes glittered a little under the eyebrows. br The red one flapped and flapped on a swinging wire; br The little white ones winked round yellow eyes.