FEATHERED FRIENDS

The veil of darkness fell
As refreshing dawn emerged,
The stretch of silence snapped
As feathered friends twittered.
A wish to watch their frolic,
I peeped through the pane,
Oh, but I could perceive
Only a number to name.
A flashback reminded my home…
Our courtyard filled with multitudes,
With hay in their tiny beaks,
To make shelter on our roofs.
Now perhaps, one can figure,
Their reason behind being sparse,
High-rise buildings and apartments,
Social upgradation at large.

[Published in the e-journal 'Indian Ruminations' on 14 November 2011]