Canary 1
Finch 2

  "Finch,
why do you sit on my window?
You come here every day!
Do you come because you're hungry?
You see my tray filled with food!
Are you thirsty?
You see my bottle is always full!
Why do you torture yourself?
It must be hard for you to survive
on the measly scraps,
and the puddles from which you drink!
I feel so sorry for you!"

  "Life can be tough at times, Canary,
but that's the way life is!
I do eat whatever I come across,
from seeds, berries, insects,
to name but a few.
I do drink from puddles,
wherever I find them!
I'm really not that bothered,
as long as I satisfy my needs!"

  "Then why do you come here, Finch?"

  "I come to remind myself,
there are others
less fortunate
than I am!"

A traveller came to a crossroads.
Unsure of which direction to take,
he considered what each path had to offer.

The first path, filled with leisure
and self-gratification,
was an uncomplicated, repetitive journey,
with many rest stops along the way.
With no visible hazards,
there would be no struggle!

The second path, filled with trials
and tribulations, treacherous in places,
with many obstacles along the way,
could also be rewarding.
A journey of self-discovery!

The traveller still undecided,
pondered, which path
would give him the most satisfaction in life.

After some thought,
he decided to take the path
which best suited him
and went on his way.
Never to be seen at the crossroads again!

A great fire swept through a forest
burning everything in its wake.
In the fire's path stood a Jack Pine.
The tree, wanting to be left unharmed
pleaded for mercy from the blaze.
Reluctantly, the fire agreed
and passed it unmolested.

Countless seasons passed,
the forest grew back larger,
more resilient than before.
Many trees released their seeds
in the destruction;
The Pine, however,
unable to open its cones
could not help to reseed the forest.

The Pine, now older,
but weak and brittle from time,
realised the fire would bring devastation at first,
but in its aftermath,
new life would flourish.

A nation, besieged by an enemy force,
was encircled and close to defeat.
The leader of the beleaguered army
wanted to capitulate, hoping for leniency
from the tactically superior general,
who'd beaten him at every turn.

A young, ambitious officer,
looking to stand out from his rivals,
came up with a plan to eliminate
the unbeatable general.
A soldier would surrender to the invaders,
spreading a rumour,
so impressed by the talented general,
the citizenry would **** their monarch
proclaiming him their new leader.

The canard was told to everyone
the captive had contact with.
The soldiers argued,
was the prisoner lying or telling the truth.
It didn't matter anymore,
the seed of sedition was planted.
Other military leaders,
envious of the general's success,
quickly relayed the possible betrayal
to their ruler.

The belligerent king, fearful his sovereignty
might be under threat,
recalled the effective general
under the guise of an update.
On the generals return,
the king had him executed for treason.

In the ensuing uncertainty,
the defenders regrouped,
launching a counter-attack.
The new general, chosen by the king,
less competent than the last,
lost all the territory,
won by the former military leader.
The defending army, now on the offensive,
outmanoeuvred the invading force,
driving the enemy from their dominion.

A vagrant, on a path to no particular destination,
was caught in a storm.
Struggling through,
strong winds and heavy rain,
he came to an old log cabin,
which had been abandoned many years earlier,
now barely visible in the undergrowth.

The man, cold and wet
from the severe weather,
decided to try and gain entry to the uninhabited shack.
The door, now brittle from decay, opened easily.

The cabin was dark and damp, water poured in
through the dilapidated roof
causing a strong, pungent smell of rotten timber.
The cabin shook and swayed
with the wind,
giving the impression it wasn't safe for habitation.

In the first room he entered,
there was a rickety chair
and a broken table.
A thick film of dust
covered everything.
Old pictures hung on the walls, now unrecognisable
from water and age.
The old cabin
was in a poor condition,
time and neglect
had taken their toll.

In the second and last room,
he found a bed,
which pleased him immensely.
It was old
and not very comfortable,
but it was better than the cold hard floor he was used to.

The man lay down on the bed,
something he hadn't done in a very long time.
How fortunate he thought to have found such a place!

A large Kingdom suffered a great catastrophe
when a fierce blaze engulfed the royal palace,
killing the King and Queen.
Leaving behind their two princes,
the eldest, a brash and self-absorbed boy,
was crowned King.
The young Prince, shy and reserved,
devastated by the loss of his loved ones,
became inward and reclusive.

Many years passed, the king,
enjoyed a life of leisure and debauchery,
accruing many debts from his lavish lifestyle,
consequently; larger taxes were imposed upon the citizens.
The people fed up with high taxes
and their leader's behaviour,
revolted and stormed the palace, overpowering the royal guards.
The angry mob found the King in his room,
shocked at the sight of their monarch,
now grossly obese and sick from excess.
The people decided exile and poverty,
not death would be a greater punishment
for their selfish King.
The people came to the prince's room,
compared with his sibling; his life
was simple and selfless.
Shocked by the contrasting way
the brothers lived,
the people decided the Prince
would be a worthy ruler
and proclaimed him their new leader.

The Kings first decree,
was to make his subjects equals.
The King abolished taxation,
Nobility and land owners
were ordered to divide their vast lands
and wealth equally among the peasantry.
The people rejoiced
from their new-found fortune at first,
but soon became disillusioned with life.
With no commitments to honour,
the people became aimless
and counter productive.
The Kingdom, with no class structure,
fell further into decline and ceased to exist.