Coppersmith Barbet Poem by Pradip Chattopadhyay

Hidden in the dark foliage of a mango tree
It croons a ‘hammer on the metal’ lullaby
The night has yielded to a youthful morn
It’s a long call and the day is just born.
I look up and see its crimson head
Its plumage of blue, green, and red
It seems certain with no hint of doubt
It would ceaselessly call the whole day out.
It isn’t in hurry, doesn’t care being late
Knows only persistence in seeking its mate
For dipping in romance in her sun-tanned wings
And build a nest together for cute siblings.
The two together in their most joyful mood
Would peck a deep hole on some dead wood
And in no time, the babies would arrive
To make the dead tree vibrant and alive.
‘Tunk-tunk’ it goes on in the rising heat
That sounds like a strike on a copper sheet
I know it wouldn’t stop, today is the date
For its tunes to find its lover and mate.