There once was a Little Cockatiel  

With feathers soft and grey. 

 

He loved little shiny things 

He loved to hide and play. 

 

The Little Cockatiel chirped all day  

singing his pretty song, 

 

But when it came time for bed, 

He stayed up all night long. 

 

Scary thoughts filled his mind, 

Nothing good came from that. 

 

Instead, he sat on his perch.  

Plucking feathers from his back. 

 

Clumps of feathers piled on the floor. 

Little cockatiel pulled, more and more.  

 

He looked into the mirror, 

Unsure of what to do. 

 

“Oh no!” The worries filled his head, 

I only have a few 

 

But he pulled and pulled  

Until his skin turned red  

 

By morning all he had left 

Were the feathers on his head, 

 

His mother awoke and was 

Taken by surprise. 

 

She saw him, now bare 

She couldn’t believe her eyes! 

 

“Don’t worry little one, 

this hard time will pass” 

 

“But will it mom? Little Cockatiel cried, 

“How long will it last?” 

 

He tried to wear a collar,  

He tried to take a bath, 

He even laid in the sun, 

But nothing helped it pass. 

 

He had an idea, 

And looked around his cage, 

 

He searched under his papers, 

He searched and searched for days.  

 

He finally found some earrings,  

So shiny and so gold 

 

He rolled it in his beak, 

The metal felt quite cold 

 

Any time he felt the urge,  

He grabbed his favorite toy,  

 

He loved it so much, 

It brought him so much joy! 

 

Weeks and weeks later,  

He started feeling better, 

 

He looked in the mirror 

And saw a tiny, cute feather. 

 

As time went on, he saw more growth 

 

First, One, 

Then Two, 

Then Three, 

 His little feathers grew and grew 

He happily shouted Yippee! 

 

Soon the Little Cockatiel 

Overjoyed with his growth, 

 

Celebrated how far he’d come 

A song came from his throat.  

 

“Looking in the mirror 

What is it I see?” 

 

“With or without feathers,  

I am beautiful, I’m me!”