Friday, July 1, 2016

Sparrow Revisited

I was reading this verse I wrote two years ago and enjoyed it such that I think not that it is prideful to reprint it today.  Hope you like it, too.



The sparrow stands upon the fence, 
his fight for survival is intense.
Think not that he merely flits around
filling the air with lovely sound.

This bird's every sense is heightened
By each nearby movement he is frightened.
That cat, yon hawk, the monster with machine in hand
Could any one bring his life to end.

Poor bird.  And he must find insect or seed
He is required to fulfill every need.
And that not of himself alone
Nestlings await him there at home

With open mouth and unseemly squawk.
Oh, thinks he, could I only talk
I'd lecture the Maker of this universe.
No, wait, I would doubtless make it worse.

Oh, look! A cricket there!
Snatch it now, say a prayer.
"For what we are about to receive
Make us truly grateful."

 With this little update free of charge: 

Little Sparrow in the yard
I know that your life is hard
In spite of wings on which you soar.
You must always find one bug more
Or seed lying in the grass.

Two years ago did I watch
Your parents in that same swatch
Struggle to feed you as you now tend 
Fledglings there in yonder hedge?
I think so; life rushes on.





4 comments:

Secondary Roads said...

A great poem, and I particularly like the update.

vanilla said...

Chuck, I thank you!

Vee said...

Nice poem and pictures. I've never really think about how hard those little guys have to work in order to survive. (I do think about owls quite a bit - especially in the middle of the night when they are keeping me awake.)

vanilla said...

Vee, thank you. We often use the expression "free as a bird" which is quite the opposite of reality. The little rascals have to slave their lives away