I love this

Quartier libre

J'ai mis mon képi dans la cage
et je suis sorti avec l'oiseau sur la tête
Alors
on ne salue plus
a demandé le commandant
Non
on ne salue plus
a répondu l'oiseau
Ah bon
excusez moi je croyais qu'on saluait
a dit le commandant
Vous êtes tout excusé tout le monde peut se tromper
a dit l'oiseau.
- Jacques Prévert 

I am certainly no poet, and neither am I any good at analysing poetry. But alas, for my French and francophone culture paper, that is exactly what I must do in part of the exam next week. I will be presented with a poem by Jacques Prévert with no associated prompts or questions. Just the poem. And then I will have to analyse it. Which is ever so slightly daunting. So I'm trying to do my research now and read and understand as much as I can, and I came across this poem- and I really love this.

I put my cap in the cage

and I left with the bird on my head

So

Aren't you going to salute anymore

Demanded the commander

No

I won't salute anymore

replied the bird

Oh okay

Sorry I thought you were going to salute

said the commander

That's okay everyone makes mistakes

said the bird.

I just found this cute and hilarious, and part of me hopes this is the poem in the exam next week. For Prévert, birds symbolise freedom, hence why the man takes off his cap (képi is a type of cap worn by the military) and instead puts on the bird.