Death Of A Baby Spotted Dove Poem by Francis Duggan

A hot day in mid January and scarce a puff of breeze
And John and Dave in cherry picker up by power line trimming trees
The cut back from the line three metres and the order cut to code
A mile out of olinda just off mount Dandy Road.

They were trimming branch of liquid ambar close to spotted dove's nest
And two small baby spotted doves at noise of saw distressed
One of them backed off stick made home and toppled to the ground
And lay there dying by base of tree and uttered not a sound.

A two week old bird covered in down and unable yet to fly
And i powerless to save his life could only watch him die
The luckless baby spotted dove did not live to enjoy
The happiness that wings can bring, the freedom of the sky.

As the cherry picker moved down road mother dove returned to nest
And she fed her one remaining babe and then cloaked him neath her breast
One spotted dove less in the world it really seemed a shame
But accidents cannot be helped and life goes on the same.