Even the most poetry averse person knows some poetry – in the form of song lyrics. This is a short series of Wednesday posts, taking us up to Xmas. Todays song is Neil Youngs Like an Inca. I love the opening lines of this song, and it’s on one of my favourite albums Trans:
Like an Inca
Said the condor to the preying mantis
“We’re gonna lose this place just like we lost Atlantis
Brother, we got to go sooner than you know”
The Gypsy told my fortune, she said that nothin’ showed
Well, who put the bomb on the sacred altar?
Why should we die if it comes our way?
And why should we care about a little button
Being pushed by someone we don’t even know?
Well, I wish I was an Aztec
Or a runner in Peru
I would build such beautiful buildings
To house the chosen few
Like an Inca from Peru
Like an Inca
If you want to get high, build a strong foundation
Sink those pylons deep now and reach for the sky
If you want to get lost in the jungle rhythm
Get down on the ground and pretend you’re swimmin’
If you want to put ice in the lava river
First you must climb, then you must stand and shiver
Brother we got to go sooner than you know
The Gypsy told my fortune, the Gypsy told my fortune
The Gypsy told my fortune, she said that nothing showed
Well, I wish I was an Aztec
Or a runner in Peru
I would build such beautiful buildings
To house the chosen few
Like an Inca from Peru
Like an Inca
Like an Inca
Like an Inca
Said the condor to the preying mantis
“We’re gonna lose this place just like we lost Atlantis
Brother, we got to go sooner than you know”
The Gypsy told my fortune, the Gypsy told my fortune
The Gypsy told my fortune, she said that nothin’ showed
Ah, who put the bomb on the sacred altar?
Why should we die if it comes our way?
Why should we care about a little button
Being pushed by someone we don’t even know?
Well, I wish I was an Aztec
Or a runner in Peru
I would build such beautiful buildings
To house the chosen few
Like an Inca from Peru
Like an Inca
Like an Inca
I feel sad, but I feel happy
As I’m coming back to home
There’s a bridge across the river
That I have to cross alone
Like a skipping rolling stone
Like an Inca
Songwriters: Neil Young
Like An Inca lyrics © O/B/O Capasso, Silver Fiddle, Words & Music A Div Of Big Deal Music LLC
The Cheesesellers Wife 
What a nice idea from Mrs Cheeseseller. On the condor theme (and don’t get me started on my personal experience handfeeding a juvenile Andean Condor), I do hope Paul Simon’s El Condor Pasa (If I Could) will feature.
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Ooo, interesting suggestion Keith!
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And as for handfeeding an Andean condor— I’m very jealous!! 😊
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You can see George if you search for ‘condor’ on my site – this was a few months after I hand-fed him. He only stood about two feet tall at the time; my job was to persuade him to eat a small mouse (not a living specimen, of course). I cradled it in the palm of my hand and George eventually burrowed his beak is as though feeding from his parent’s gorge.
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There used to be 2 condors called George and Mildred in a neighbouring town. 😊
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This was during my time volunteering at The Hawk Conservancy Trust (which may be the place you are referring to). I’ve not lived in the area since 2006 but stay connected, although all I do now is the odd proofreading job.
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Yes, we have been members of the Hawk Conservancy since 1997! Our lads called it Bird Zoo. We would take them to the members volunteer days – one day I wondered where they were and found them sweeping out the King vulture aviary with one of the falconers. My youngest was not yet in school….
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