Birds 07 - Sparrow Poem by Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

Sparrow

Come March twenty two:
and it is the World Sparrow Day,
designated to raise awareness
about sparrows and small birds.

House sparrows are urban birds
small and commonly found around
human habitat, city or country
largely dependent on man for food,

dressed in sheer boring brown
they breed round the year,
invade houses and buildings
to nest at corners of the ceiling.

Their not-so-distant cousins
Yellow-throated sparrows
have much better looks, opt to
stay away from human habitat,

keep to gardens and groves
find a hole in a tree to nest
and lines it with grasses
feathers, wool and cotton.

Dwindling numbers of sparrows
and other small common birds
is a matter of concern, but
are we doing enough?