The Sparrow and the Squirrel

 
My sparrow, how common they say you are
Your plumage, dirty brown
Is a feast for my eyes.
I can gaze at you ‘til the evening light fades; 
‘Til the storm rains come,
Or the cold wind rages.
You’ll never see me.
You’ll never know me. 
Though I may climb to your height
You will never stand to touch me. 
So I stand alone,
Still as the tree that wears you.
Proud as the branch that bears you.
A squirrel am I.
A quivering, inquisitive thing am I. 
By nature a searcher.
By instinct unstill. 
But by love and admiration
These rules are lost
As I stand beneath
Where you are aloft.

Some would say the woods lay quietly. 
Some would hope this were so, 
But a clap of thunder rang out
On a sunny day’s drought.
A gentle cry of pain was heard. 
At first I thought I heard the sound of fluttering
Was your own in frightened flight, 
But your colours flashed before me
And I saw you lie in fight.
You tried to give your body
For the wings to lift you up, 
But to no escape, to no safe haven.
Still you try again, again, weaker now. 
Your will desperately sagging from within.
And now, no movement. 
Save the rapid charge of breath.
Are you alive?
I almost fail to dare to come near,
But I must.
I sniff and her head moves quickly to peck me,
But I see in her eyes her sorrow betrays her anger
 
I will help you little sparrow;
I will take you to shelter,
And give you food and protect you.
So I push you and I pull you.
I roll you to the foot of our tall sturdy tree.
Then with a flick of my tail
I run to find you provisions.
A bit here, some there.
And presently laden, I return to my love.
Food for your strength.
Food for your health.
Come eat, my beautiful friend.
But she turns her head and her eyes are pain.
So I run for better food to find.
Try these my love.
Try these my heart.
You’ll have all the best nuts a squirrel can find.
But she only lies next to me,
Alone and so still.
Please eat for your strength, I cry, my love.
But she says no more to me
And only stares to the sky.