For the Birds

A few days ago, I was returning to my vehicle in a parking lot, when I realized that a bird's body and legs were sticking straight out of the grille.  I don't remember colliding with it, but there was no doubt that my speeding van had slammed the little guy mid-flight.  I tried kicking it out of the grille (in my Uggs, no less) , with my ten-year-old son looking on in disgust.  Several feathers fluttered to the pavement, but it remain lodged.  I guess I could have left it there for my husband to deal with, but unlike cowboys who have antlers on the front of their trucks, I didn't really want to showcase this trophy.  So I did what any mom, (ok, not any mom) would do.  I grabbed the scrawny bird feet and tugged.  The birdie's head popped free and, surprisingly, still attached to its body.  My son gave a big "ewww," we got in the van, and headed home.  I drank my Starbucks chai, carefully avoiding contact between my tainted fingers and my mouth.  Here's a collection of songs for my feathered friend.  We'll call it a eulogy.

1. "Jukebox Sparrows"- Shannon McNally
2. "Meadowlarks"- Fleet Foxes
3. "Whooping Crane"- Lyle Lovett
4. "One for the Mockingbird"- Cutting Crew
5. "Two Birds"- Regina Spektor
6. "Vultures"- Meat Puppets
7. "Fly Like an Eagle"- Seal
8. "Birds Flew Backwards"- Doves
9. "When Doves Cry"- Prince
10. "Nightingale"- Laura Veirs
11. "Bird on a Wire"- Jennifer Warnes
12. "Magpie to the Morning"- Neko Case
13. "Kiwi"- Maroon 5
14. "Woodpecker from Mars"- Faith No More
15. "Louis Loon"- Barenaked Ladies
16. "Hummingbird"- Jimmy Page
17. "Songbird"- Katie Herzig
18. "Rockin' Robin"- Jackson 5
19. "White Bird"- KT Tunstall
20. "Night Bird Flying"- Jimi Hendrix