[Roger Slater]

In what world are birds not animals, Jerome? If they wanted to make exceptions, they could have just done so without expecting us to figure that they were purposely misusing words.

I'm having trouble finding very many poems at all that are addressed to animals. There are many poems about animals, but most of them are in the third person. We need to keep birds unless this is to be a Tyger and Mouse competition entirely.

PS--
I cross posted with John. But I still say that animals are animals, with the exception of humans since that would make the entire competition pointless. If birds are not included, then what about non-mammals like frogs or alligators? Not that I can think of any poems addressing frogs or alligators, mind you.