Different

 The family sat on the darkest branch, 

Of the neem tree beside the pond. 

The Owl warned her Owlets right, 

"Be careful, dear children, 

Do not venture into the light; 

It is a blinding, scary illusion 

Not worth your innocent intuitions."

"But why, mother? 

I want to see the morning sky.

I heard it is blue. Is that true? 

I heard there are birds exactly like us 

Oh, won't they love to be my friend?" 

"Silly boy, what a fool you are, 

Yes, they look the same but are very different. 

Their thought and life, their clear blue sky 

All are but a distant story, untrue, unreal 

As we are, the creatures of the darkness for them."

The Owlets listened with open ears, 

Twisting their heads, eyes wide and eager. 

The smallest one was perhaps the bravest 

Or the foolest, depends on who narrated.

He stepped out one morning when the sun shone bright, 

He was blinded by the power of the light.

He flapped his wings, ready to make new friends 

Wanted to see their world and experiment.

At first, the crow came flying down, 

"My my, what is this thing sitting alone?"

His eager voice crowed aloud.

"Why, I am a bird!" 

Smiled the Owlet, excited.

The crow shrieked at its mates, intimidated.

"Come here, take a look at this 

Such a ghastly beast claiming to be 

One of us, it seems."

"Oh, we aren't this scary, nor our claws so sharp 

A flock of black gathered around the Owlet. 

Eager, scared, shrieking, yet afar from 

The strange thing they encountered. 

A Bulbul asked what was going on, 

Seeing the beast, it gasped and made a song.

His family joined in, shouting at the beast, 

"Go back home, you evil creep."

The Sparrows gathered, so did the Kites, 

The Seven Sisters and the Cuckoos in sight.

A Kingfisher perched itself on the high branch.

"Pray, what the hell is going on?"

"Oh, we found a beast!" 

Laughed the excited Magpie.

The kingfisher flew with the news far and wide.

"Its claws can kill, and it disguises itself like us."

"Oh, what a sight, I shiver to wonder."

"Its head cracks and twists, its cars like bats."

"Have you seen the beak? Attack from afar."

"It can change form. Such was the rumour.

The birds alerted the humans around.

They gathered beneath the tree in a crowd.

None could go near the little owlet, 

Traumatised by the flocks of "playmates".

"Such stupid birds. It's one of you."

'Stop your noise, it's a baby, not harmful."

"Can't you see it's just like you?

Two eyes, two wings, two claws and a beak, 

Haven't you seen two?"

The humans laughed at the foolish birds.

The dusk had set in, slowly in pink, 

The birds were tired of screaming. 

"We'd better get home, it is dark. 

We hear evil gets powerful thereafter!" 

"Oh, it can vanish in the dark!" 

"Evils have such power indeed." 

It was once again the grapevine lead. 

The blinding light gave way to darkness, 

The Owlet could now see the way back to its nest. 

It flapped its wings, scaring away the remaining birds, 

Never again did it try to be friends with those, 

Who saw him apart.

© Suranya