ekphrastic painting detail

the fish-bird's beak

has been consumed

by the turban

of the parasitic pasha

even though

the fish-bird itself

rides the back of the pasha

as an erstwile pack

and then there's the proffering

of the pasha itself setting out

some gift package

on the extended bill

of an erstwile platypus

whose huge head

seems composed

of an erstwile conglomeration

of skinless marsyases

clustering lovingly

together

and holding up

a large bauble

for its marsupial eye