The birds in the backyard often look there for food
and it seems they're doing so lately in a happier mood;
it was just the other day when I mowed the grass
so now they can move easily over it again and pass.
Their activity is done habitually each and every day
and watching them closely seems as if they're at play.

They scrounge on the soil with their beaks and feet
competing at times for some bite and morsel to eat.
When disturbed by a sound they fly up into any tree
away from the threat of danger they scamper and flee.
A human presence would be enough to get them going
particularly when heading in their direction knowing.

It's a bit of a delight to see them at play in their quest
doing what they all have to do to survive hunger's test.
I used to feed them some crumbs on a regular basis
which became a habit for me to them as in an oasis.
Together with water left in a plastic bowl for a drink
they'd a few things going for them one would think.

It was only after the local cats caught onto the idea
with their basic instinct, that food or game, was near.
One of them would come around and hide in the grass
crouching there patiently for the right moment to pass;
if the birds were unaware they would fly down to eat
of the crumbs left for them so their hunger could beat.

The cat seizing on the opportunity then would by surprise
spring up and race after them as food or game in its eyes.
There would be a mad scramble and loud flutter of wings
as the birds, escaping from that danger a predator brings,
would scatter and fly away as fast as they could to where
they'd be relatively safe from the clutches of death there.

Sometimes when looking out the back window I'd see
a cat roaming in the backyard in the shadows of a tree;
this would be enough warning for me to raise the alarm
and get out to try and keep those local birds from harm.
I would do this by chasing the cat away over the fence
so the area would be clear again for the birds I'd sense.
_____

I'm fully aware of risk I take;
Gambling again that I'll even wake,
But the rush is addicting.
Clamping a hand down, inflicting
A state upon myself I cannot
Escape from, time and again I allot
More chances for it all to go wrong.
I'll sing my final swansong.

w h y ' s
h a v i n g
o      n      e
a  d  d  i  c  t  i  o  n
l   e   f   t
s e e m
h   a   r   d   e   r
t h a n
h  a  v  i  n  g
s   e   v   e   r   a   l

तुम आते हीं रहो देर से हम रोज हीं बतातें है,
चलो चलो हम अपनी अपनी आदतें दुहराते हैं।
लेट लतीफी तुझे प्रियकर नहीं समय पर आते हो,
मैं राही हूँ सही समय का नाहक हीं खिसियाते हो।

तुम कहते हो नित दिन नित दिन ये क्या ज्ञान बताता हूँ?
नही समय पर तुम आते हो कह क्यों शोर मचाता हूँ?
जाओ जिससे कहना सुनना चाहो बात बता देना,
इसपे कोई असर नही होगा ये ज्ञात करा देना।

सबको ज्ञात करा देना कि ये ऐसा हीं वैसा है,
काम सभी तो कर हीं देता फिर क्यों हँसते कैसा है?
क्या खुजली होती रहती क्यों अंगुल करते रहते हो?
क्या सृष्टि के सर्व नियंता तुम हीं दुनिया रचते हो?

भाई मेरे मेरे मित्र मुझको ना समझो आफत है,
तेरी आदत लेट से आना कहना मेरी आदत है।
देखो इन मुर्गो को ये तो नित दिन बाँग लगाएंगे,
जब लालिमा क्षितिज पार होगी ये टाँग अड़ाएंगे।

मुर्गे की इस आदत में कोई कसर नहीं बाकी होगा,
फ़िक्र नहीं कि तुझपे कोई असर नहीं बाकी होगा।
तुम गर मुर्दा तो मैं मुर्गा अपनी रस्म निभाते है,
मुर्दों पे कोई असर नहीं फिर भी आवाज लगाते है।

मुर्गों का काम उठाना है वो प्रति दिन बांग लगाएंगे,
मुर्दों पे कोई असर नहीं होगा जिंदे जग जाएंगे।
जिसका जो स्वभाव निरंतर वो हीं तो निभाते हैं,
चलो चलो हम अपनी अपनी आदतें दुहरातें हैं।

अजय अमिताभ सुमन