Dove Is Killed Poem by Yasmin Khan

I know it's never been safe to build there
a home in an abandoned corner, but it's been
their habit for past few years, in every summer
they choose that nook, the 'best' home they ween

This time as they started bringing a straw, a twig
to loosely arrange them making a shaggy roost
I tried to stop them from dwelling again in this
place open to the eye of predators' greed

But consistent as both were out of some bonding
with the place that they successfully build
taking turns to incubate, happily cooing
to each other, soon the lodge with happy sounds filled

To my wonder one day two teeny weeny on the bed
of straw were cheeping, beaks open, eyes closed
feathery balls of flesh were lovingly being fed
yet I remained worried as they were to danger exposed

My foreboding came true, a hungry feline that had been
prowling often got the chance to attack when
one of them was there busy in parenting
off-guard, what happened next is hard to pen

The mother dove all bathed in blood and devoured
by the monster, her partner unaware, on the ledge
sat cooing next morning but nowhere to find her
baffled n bereft he took up alone the duty to fledge

Aren't we all innocent doves taken by surprise
by hunters n predators? An easy prey to violence
to bloodthirst? The wicked and vile in guise
lurk around humans who are unwary and off defence?