My Upanishadic Birdie Pie 1 Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

Few months' back,
While I sat on my chair facing the window,
My sleepy morning eyes,
Suddenly opened with a spark!
I saw a beautiful little being,
Perched comfortably on a thin Mango bough,
An unusually pretty creation,
A combination of pitch black and pure white!
The creation looked through the window,
Directly at me!

I stared back at the winged being.
So small,
But O! So sweet!
Pretty and petite,
Light -feathered and light toed,
A black head tapering down to a black neck,
An oval shaped black bib!
And then, a sharp contrast
A stark white body,
So distinct!

I have never seen such an adorable bird,
With such a smooth black crown,
A pair of dark iris!
By God! Black is beautiful! I swore.
And then, a white belly,
A snow-white abdomen
Like that of a swan!
Her wings - a combination again,
A strip of white alternating with black,
Like the touch of a painter's brush!

Black feathers and white feathers,
On the wings of the same bird!
A wild thought creeps in.
Is not man a combination of black and white?
Though the percentage of black and white differs
From man to man!
The black and white in birds,
Are distributed outwardly, in equal proportion!
But in man, the black and white patches are blotches
Lining the inner layers of the mind!

As I picked up my pen to write,
I knew I was not alone,
My new friend was with me,
Watching me through the little window!
Has she come as my guide and philosopher?
Helping me to think and perceive right?
I looked up at her gratefully.
The little birdie tilted her shapely tail
Up and down - up and down -
Flick flack - flick-flack - flick flack!