Mynah On A Branch Poem by Gert Strydom

I sit up high in the cherry tree,
with my black eyes sharp
watching everything that is moving below
and of everything's action and inaction I do know.

I call out mimicking the nearby human,
who at times do give orders to the hounds
and when I do call
the dogs come running halting abruptly at the tree

before both of them jump
but they cannot reach me in the safety of the tree
where they both stand in confusion
as if my intelligence do outreach both of them
and screaming I swoop down,
do fly over their heads
and the air does carry me out of the leaping reach.

From up high in the cherry tree
I do inspect whatever there is to eat
and when the postman at the front gate
tries to put a letter in the box
he does draw the attention of the two bloodthirsty hounds.

They race away
and I do land at the feeding bowls,
peck at the tasty bits to my heart's content
and do pace up and down to mark of my own territory

Again I land on the top of the cherry tree
and gregarious I do scream again at the barking dogs
to call them back to where I am
to keep me company
and the dogs do quiet down,
come lie down at the foot of the tree
as if they know that I am a god
that is worth worshipping.

I take whatever food do fancy me
be it fruit or meat
and cocky with arrogance
I am determined to eat.

Through eons from eternity
nothing has really changed
to check or hold me back
where I do live just as I want.

© Gert Strydom