by Todd H. C. Fischer
The chickadee sat on a birdhouse perch
and remembered
A time when he was king, when he and
his ruled the earth
When the other denizens of the forest
cowered in fear when he roared
When he towered as tall as a tree
instead of sitting in one
Before the feathers, before the beak
before flight and migration
There were scales, and claws
and teeth twelve inches long
A time when bird seed was not enough
to quelch its hunger
When he killed and tore, and shred
and ate the still warm meat
In a time before man, in a time before Christ
in a time before now
The chickadee remembered.
Last updated August 10, 2011