" Woodstock"
I had a little redbird, I found
her in the spring.
She landed on the rocker, just
beside the swing.
There she sat the cutest thing I'd
ever seen.
Overhead the screeching was enough
to make you deaf.
It was as if they were accusing me
of baby theft.
Apparently this baby was to young
to fly,
But an inner voice made it feel it
had to try.
I looked for the nest all around,
finally I spotted it in the tree, high above
the ground.
I did not know what to do but knew I
had to make a choice.
It was so hard to listen to the mother's
pleading voice.
I went and got a topless cage and sat
the baby down
The anxious parent birds circled
round and round.
The baby bird just sat there, making
nary a sound.
The darkness was approaching so I knew
what I must do.
I brought God's little creature in the house
and fed it with a dropper #two.
The next morning I took her out again
and prayed.
The parents once more flew down but
neither one stayed.
This went on for three days and as if saying goodbye,
the mother made one more pass.
Then as she flew out of sight, I knew it
was her last.
I brought the little redbird in and knew that his
life with me he'd spend.
At this point, with no feathers I didn't know the gender,
I just knew I had a special friend.
That day I named him "Woodstock" and that all his
needs I'd render.
The days passed swiftly and the pin feathers
started to bloom
and much to my surprize.
My little "he" turned out to be a "she " I
soon realized.
She'd sit upon my finger and beg by flapping
her little wings.
All day long her pretty song she'd sing.
For five and a half years she amazed us with her
intelligence and her personality.
Showing us all that anything can adapt to its own
world of reality.
Then one morning early I awoke and all the birds
were in a rage.
I reluctantly went over and there was Woodstock,
wings spread, on the bottom of her cage.
My lungs stopped breathing and my heart was
filled with dread.
For at that moment, I knew my little darling
Woodstock was dead.
I wrapped her so gently in satin and put her
in a little wooden box.
We buried her next to Ninja who had guarded her
cage so well and after a prayer in her honor, I
covered her grave with phylox.
You're now in God's Kingdom flying free...
but I know if you had your druthers, you'd rather
be here with me.
Many times I wondered, should I set her free..
but in my heart, I knew she was much too
dependent on me.
So here among the finches, parakeets and conyers
she spent her life.
Never knowing a day of hunger, stress or strife.
I sometimes think God gave her to me so that all
who met her, could witness first hand, the miracle of
His Master Plan.
by
Mary S. Hymel
Copyrighted © 2001-2002
All Rights Reserved
