Poem: A Refugee’s Thoughts On Birds

| by V.N.Giritharan
( August 26, 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)

From tiny to very large.
Slow to fast.
Observations taught me a lot
about birds,
About the space-time where
they fly.
Different birds fly differently;
behave differently.
Some use their knowledge to
glide through the air.
Some large ones use the air currents
to fly upwards.
Bird observation makes me
think philosophically.

It fills my heart with happiness and bliss.
Roosting, nesting and parenting
Makes them so proud
in my thoughts.
Their life is simple; few things to do, but do
regularly.
Through sounds and physical movements
they communicate efficiently.
Without getting tired, without losing hopes
Amidst turbulent environments
where predators wait patiently,
They carry on their existence
happily & optimistically.
In this tension-filled,
stress-filled
concrete jungle,
Our nests are filled up
with materialistic aspirations.
They, birds taught me a lot on living.
Their ability to fly up and down,
Right and left,
On the sky high,
without worrying about borders
on lands far below,
Makes my thinking broad and
wise.
Seasons only determine their migrations.
With their wings’ strength
They can fly anywhere
they want to go.
One day, If our knowledge permits,
We may fly like them; or
We may even fly faster than them, like
waves, electromagnetic waves.
Until then,
I wish I could fly like them;
I wish , I could spread my wings in the air
like them.
Without worrying of borders, detentions
far below on divided lands
I wish I could fly like them high in the
sky.