Motionless,
You laid there
under the solemn vigil
of your expanded family.

Why would you give up
after fathering
the fabulous four
only six weeks ago?

Why your soul mate
mortally attacked you
still baffles us,
your human hosts.

Have we contributed
to your untimely death
by inciting disharmony
between you two?

Did she misunderstand
our goodwill of allowing
your young for a flight
of their first?

Why did she chase after you
hours after the maiden flight?
Why did she bite you
and pluck up your feathers?

We saw your limping leg
the morning after.
We noticed in your corpse
severe head and neck wounds.

Apparently you were meek to death
by not fighting back,
for we saw no sign of injury
on the body of your mate.

No longer
will you be able
to guard your young.

No longer
will you be able
to groom their feathers.

No longer
will you be able
to watch their taking more flights.

No longer
will you be able
to cuddle with the family.

But please,
take pride
in yourself.

At least
you had loved
and had begotten
four beautiful lads.

And you had time
to watch their hatching,
their firming up tender legs,
their coloring full-body feathers,
and their taking maiden flight.

Rest in peace
and in assurance
that life goes on
with your family.

Take flight
to the firmament
where you were born to go
but never got the chance
until Tuesday morning.

Take flight
with our love.

Your human hosts
(Feb. 20, 2002)