Orange-headed Thrush

Compliment to an unbothered

Over the second cup of tea on an affable summer morning,

Scratching and pondering over notes – of the day before -

I see the orange headed thrush,

How stunning you look – I compliment her,

Shut up she says, what do you know of us thrushes?

How proud (and human) I thought –

As she turned - the orange of her nape flashed,

Burning shade, as if, of the setting sun,

The fiery black lines emerging from near the eyes,

Took me to the splendor and gusto of springs in monsoon,

Her to and fro walk – under the huge banyan

No less stately than the tree itself

Glad I saw you, I say -

By then, she was away from sight

Thrushes, I now know, are bothered not by lowly humans.

(image: Sumit Sen)

Share links to wikipedia and another lovely image of the species.

Many thanks to Sumit Sen.