Songbird

The songbird trilled happily in the forest

Her melodies were pleasant and true

Her plumage was a feast for the eyes

The rainbow would be jealous of her hue

She could mimic all animals in the forest

Her music was healing for the soul

Her chirping would keep everyone happy

And make a hurt animal quite whole

 

In the dark undergrowth of the forest

Lived the vile vipers and pests

They couldn’t bide all this happiness

And kept smouldering in their nests

They plotted on how to kill the songbird

Or at least silence her song

So they invited the hunter to the forest

And did the lovely songbird much wrong

The hunter wished to pluck the birds plumage

To decorate the king’s head dress

Or to make a trophy of the songbird

To be stuffed and mounted in the mess

Or eat the flesh of the songbird

Roasted or grilled on the flame

Or keep the songbird in a cage

So the music would bring the hunter fame

Now the poor songbird had to hide

No one heard her music anymore

She had to cover her plumage

In dark leaves no one would adore

The songbirds happy chatter was silenced

Thus none in the forest would heal

For the laughter and the music was missing

Which was the vile pests ideal.

Fear cannot make anything better

A caged songbird cannot sing

A dead songbird isn’t pretty

We need to understand this thing

All the denizens of the forest

Are waiting for the hunter to go

And for happiness to return to the forest

And end this whole story of woe

Songbird please become a Phoenix

And blaze all the vipers to hell

Drive the vile hunter from the forest

And bring back the joy in our dell

Soumya