Under A Betel Nut Tree (Free Verse Poem) Poem by Dominic George

At the bus station
Beyond the hazy bus window I gape
There was a tired bird-chick lying
Under a betel-nut tree
She cried desperately in disappearing vocal
Similar to an infant unattended
As men moving about and deaf
A nest on the tree and a sparrow head protruding

The little creature didn't flap its wings
Perhaps it wasn't yet able to fly
And four paws moved closer
An intelligent feral
Somehow as if by instinct
The little birdie suddenly kept still
And four paws moved closer smelling the ground
Hooray! She found easy food

I watched the cute furry animal
The kill was quick, baby bird silenced
What relief that one stomach is less hungry
And men moving about ignorantly
Once was a creature
I wonder if we could have saved
Noticed by four
Itself, its mother, a cat and myself
At least one stomach is less hungry