Cloaked in copperpod crown
a shaubeegi…
sings the first strains
of a pre-dawn chorus
lifting gently the sheath of sleep
Koels pick up
the cue
in a relay…
and coo… and coo
till the criers’ crescendo
sounds a clarion call
Under the cashew cover
prinias court daylight
in a happy dance
flapping wings, twitching tails
to a ceaseless warbling duet
At siesta hour-
a wandering waterhen
wades into the bower
tiptoes the tangled growth
steals into my consciousness
Twilight brings
a magpie robin, the bully
to a game of tag
chasing cheeky bulbuls
piping the close of a day
From its banyan post
a moon-eyed owlet lets out
a chuckle…
keeps up the prattle
late into the dark night
NOTE: Shaubeegi is an onomatopoeic name (in Hindi) for the Common Iora - a lovely, lovely, lovely little yellow bird - with music to match.
