THE BIRD
Dr. B. Parvathi
Countless crows flew away in cacophony
Fluttered and hovered about, dark shapes
And dark shadows against the bright blue sky.
Trees swayed gently, a soft breeze hummed
While the crows pestered a small yellow brown bird
Which chirped, twittered and leaped about, but could not fly
Stunned, afraid and half-dead.
They saw it, the children, beneath the ledge
Beyond the wall.
They flocked to it, the helpless little bird,
Cursed the crows which now indifferent
Sat silently unmindful of it.
They took it into their hands
Placed it in their palms
Gently touched its body and beak
And talked incessantly.
One brought water, another asked for milk
One ran for grains, another for nuts
The bird pecked at all, drank a few drops
Its round unblinking eyes stared at all.
When night fell a cat smelled food
They ran helter skelter “A cage for my pet”,
One demanded, “now, or it will die”.
They fished out a clothesline
Twisted and turned and abandoned at once.
A big box they brought
A bare palace for the little creature.
Put it in their midst, watched it by turns
And fell asleep around.
“Water, milk, honey, grain, fruit and friend”,
Determined little friends for their pet.
“Please, mother the bird”, they said, and went to school.
Busy mother gave a glance and knew it would go.
The bird blinked and moved but touched no food
Its heart followed and haunted its friends in school.
They flocked to it, talked and talked.
The bird moved not yet saw concern.
Around the bird they played
A sleepy vigil went on in the night
The day took them to school.
Sun was going down as they ran back home;
With some incomprehension declared it dead.
Their faces fell, eyes became silent
Frozen tears failed to flow
A little earth they turned over
To bid the bird farewell
The tiny little creature whom the crows scared.