Gopal’s poem explores life and death cycles, evoking empathy and existential angst, exclusively for Different Truths, through a tragic bird’s tragic demise.

I saw a tiny bird mauled by a wild dog
The trees around my house mourn this.
 
I hold the bird gently and gauge the depth
of her wound. The life is gradually leaving
 
her body. This will save her from the pain,
hunger and hassle of searching the
nest. She will grow in her wounds again,
flying on the edges of the earth and sky.
 
Her chirps earlier covered the darkness of
my heart. I can see the human face of her.
I see the redness of her sharp eyes.
The last cry breathes her rage and anger.
 
When the sunlight spills over my courtyard
I want to drown myself in raging infernos.

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Gopal Lahiri

Gopal Lahiri is an India-based bilingual poet, critic, editor, writer, and translator with 23 books published, including four jointly edited books. His poetry is also published across various anthologies as well as in eminent journals of India and abroad. He has been invited to various poetry festivals including the World Congress of Poets. He is published in 14 countries and his poems are translated into 15 languages.

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