THE TORMENTED MOTHER

The land was cracked for lack of winter rain.
That caused the crops to die, the foremost grain.
The people and the town got famine struck;
Those who could leave had fled; the poor were stuck.

Beside my house there was a leafless tree;
Two birds had made their nest; l loved to see.
They got two chicks that made me stick to sight.
As parents cared for chicks through day and night.

The father died, the mum was near to fall;
Too hungry, she came to my window sill.
I held some grains to feed that hungry bird;
Her hunger was much bolder than her dread.

It perched my thumb and ate her fill and went
Towards the chicks that waited her advent.
She mouthed them all the grains that l gave her
To make them flutter, stand, and twit with cheer.

She came back to my sill, too weak for want,
And thanked me ere she died for my great grant.
Her look begged me ere she sent out her soul,
" please feed  my little chicks; they are too small."

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
___________








THE TORMENTED MOTHER

The land was cracked for lack of winter rain.
That caused the crops to die, the foremost grain.
The people and the town got famine struck;
Those who could leave had fled; the poor were stuck.

Beside my house there was a leafless tree;
Two birds had made their nest; l loved to see.
They got two chicks that made me stick to sight.
As parents cared for chicks through day and night.

The father died, the mum was near to fall;
Too hungry, she came to my window sill.
I held some grains to feed that hungry bird;
Her hunger was much bolder than her dread.

It perched my thumb and ate her fill and went
Towards the chicks that waited her advent.
She mouthed them all the grains that l gave her
To make them flutter, stand, and twit with cheer.

She came back to my sill, too weak for want,
And thanked me ere she died for my great grant.
Her look begged me ere she sent out her soul,
" please feed  my little chicks; they are too small."

BY JOSEPH ZENIEH
___________