Contemporary Literary Review India | eISSN 2394-6075 | Vol 6, No 3: CLRI August 2019
Dr Ezhil Vendhan
Peacock
I am the most well known and unique bird
in the avian world,
for my enormous tail
and fluorescent feathers,
full of colourful beauty that fan out
behind me for a long length.
I am blessed with this colourful display,
the array of elaborate eye-spotted tail covert feathers attracts everyone,
which I use only for defence purpose.
I puff out and fan my tail feathers so as to make myself look bigger, only to intimidate the predators approaching me.
My feathers aren't just big
and boldly coloured
but I have actually developed
tiny crystal-like structures spaced throughout the feathers,
making me seem so vibrant
and eye-catching.
I tend to dance just before rain comes,
foretelling in the place I dance,
might have a sudden shower.
When I get damp in rain,
I appear to glisten even more and attractive.
It is not superstitious
or of my prophetic ability,
but it is scientific as I am closely connected with nature.
I normally feed on plants,
seeds, and flower heads
but munch on mammals and reptiles
only to supplement my diet.
I have a number of predators like tigers
approaching me to hunt
but I could eat even poisonous snakes
and digest easily.
Hummingbird
I am little magic, spirit-bird,
bird-fly, not bigger than a Hornet,
yet have all the features of a bird,
as bill, wings, quills, legs and small claws.
I am the smallest of all birds,
tiny but greatest feature of
creating humming melody,
not by opening my beak
but by beating my wings,
at high frequencies audible to you.
My name won’t be meaningful,
in breaking my name into two
first name and last name,
I am just Hummingbird.
I hope my humming makes sweet
as it sounds faster,
while I approach the nectar-bearing flowers
and taste their sweet nectar.
My romance with nature
and dependence is high
as trees, plant flora and fauna
to fuel my high metabolism
and hovering flight,
I am kisser of flowers.
I tend to be smaller than the female ones,
allowing energy to forage competitively
and participative in courtship frequently.
I make magic colours too,
plants pollinated by me bloom flowers
in beautiful red, orange and pink
though I take the nectar from flowers
of other colours too.
I position my head stable
even during turbulent airflow.
I am exceptional in flight
having the highest metabolism of all,
to support the rapid beating of my wings
during hovering and fast forward flight.
I am highly sensitive to stimuli in my vision,
even for minimal diverse in others’ motion.
I may change my direction
reorienting myself in midflight.
I could establish my species high
where environmental conditions
stimulate further diversification.
Seagul
I am a gull, a seagull,
the symbol of freedom.
I could not be gulled or cheated
by hollow words.
My squawking calls are typical
to signify that they are mine
as I’m venturing far out to ocean.
I love all the elements of nature
scale the space,
dive below the water deeper down.
enjoy the wind, water and earth,
my lovely my resources,
but I have animosity over fire.
I am aquarian,
longing, love and live in water.
I prefer to drink water afresh
but I even drink brackish
from which I could excrete the salt.
I prefer my food to be organic and alive.
I rely not on kleptoparasitism
but I often prefer to get anything by enchanting.
I don't lay my eggs not in plenty,
only dot two or three, but in quality,
as I am resourceful, inquisitive,
and intelligent.
I may demonstrate complex methods
of communication
but highly in developed structure.
My fidelity is sincere
and last forever
and that too for my site.
I am committed to brood and guard
my own kith and kin.