Don’t you remember,
say the birds,
you painted the sky black
on your own with smoke.
Oh, you mean coal,
we say,
no, that was different,
that had a purpose.
The why doesn’t matter,
say the birds,
if the how is harmful.
You’re so right,
we say,
all that matters
is the who.
This made the birds realize
in a baffled kind of way,
that when they speak,
all we hear is noise.
So they flew away,
far from the fires
that had turned the sky into a wound,
hoping we might notice
how one bird took the lead
even though it’s awfully tiring
to be the one pushing
against all that wind.
Then they switched positions
and another bird took the lead.
This made the birds think,
what a shame
that humans don’t have a sound
that describes how full it feels
to sacrifice for others
while trusting
they are waiting patiently
to do the same
for you.
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