Dr Roopali’s poignant ballad about a parrot and a crow – exclusively for Different Truths.

There lived    
In another age
a green parrot
in an iron cage.
It shut out
the leafy trees
and let in
a piece
of the sky
so blue
this story
is true.
 
The clouds beckoned
to the restless sprite
come, come to us.
Fly, fly with us
across the dewy mountain
to the red berry fountain.
 
Captivity drove the
the green-plumed parrot
to distraction
ruby red blood
clung
to the rusted iron.
Impatient compassion
flung open
the door to freedom.
a streak of flapping green
flew towards the sky
a flurry of purple passion
 
the leaves rocked with joy,
the earth laughed with flowers.
the clouds danced without a care
and the ants stopped to stare.
 
In a brooding branch,
where speckled ladybirds
sang in a row,
sat the ink-dark cunning crow.
 
Down it flashed

from the green tree
and dashed
the parrot’s
flight to be free.
 
A drilled head
strangled wings
bloodied eyes
dreaming the lie
of a topaz sky!

Wise crow.
How did you know?

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur

Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur is a poet, travel writer, and social justice activist. A former professor of English Literature at Delhi University, and a creative writing professor at IGNOU, she is a widely published academic and creative writer. Her book Twice Colonised: Women in African Literature, is a seminal text on women’s socio-political empowerment. In 2020-21, she co-edited two poetry anthologies – In All the Spaces: Diverse Voices in Global Women’s Poetry, and Earth Fire Water Wind.