INSIDE THE BAYA BIRD’S NEST

Entangled willingly though
I dangle from a height I love
from a strong palm frond 
overhanging a small pond ;
without claustrophobia inside 
or any aerophobia outside :

the hanging nest of reeds,twigs and hay
High above the green grass in a gentle sway ;
With fragrance from knotted wires of trees
Wafted inside my cool home on wings of breeze ,
I share ,with Bayas in colonies
that for me so much care ,
drinking dew that drop from wings
eating seedlings from their beaks
that feed their cute siblings
with a chit…chit…and wheezy chee...
tuned to my ears on a bed quite breezy !!!

From here I watch lovers in lip-lock
behind the pink bougainvilliaea in swing
revealing a part of the young love-birds’ wing
engaged listlessly in their cool fling ;
young reddish- green leaves smiling
green twigs clapping,yellow leaves chuckling
and brown, grey leaves sighing at the scene
but the lovers there hide not wanting to be seen.

From here I had to watch the cruelty
of deflowering of a rustic girl resistant,
against her will ,ripped bit by bit
by a gang of riffraff in white heat ;
and the blood-red sun tearing
its chest out of anger and agony
and finally jumping to end life
in the blue waters of the sky ;
I had nothing to heal that girl
So I stayed for days in hunger
With no food to my bill
I prayed to God for her wound to heal.

I watch toddlers' little feet
being kissed by gentle brown earth
youngsters treading the ground with mirth
and the old dragging on as if for rebirth
bunches of grass trampled, turning into hay
with no words of regret for them to say.

From here I see the orange sun
faltering much at the sky’s fringe
hesitating to leave the shivering leaves
shaking with that love which
every flower here quietly breathes.

Let me go to sleep early tonight
in my nest of reed, hay and leaves
on a stable bed of mud and dung
under shimmers of fireflies till dawn
and the night wind playing on
in tune with a sweet bird song .

copyrighted : saroj kumar padhi,
03/06/14