Farther Chair Poem by Robert Smith

yonder on the farther chair
upon the porch nearby the stair
a winged beauty feathers fair
was looking at me sitting there

startled by this morning treat
he sang a song to bless and greet
the sunshine and the break of day
i slowed so he'd not fly away

this bird was such a lovely find
i truly wish I knew the kind
but ornithological pursuits
i had neglected in my youth

his song of freedom, sky and spring
throughout my world I heard it ring
yet bound within my working day
i wished i too could fly away

i knew not where to begin
for i'd never play a role within
the song to which he sang and hopped
but then his song abruptly stopped

'i know that look' condemned the beast
'you crave my beauty and that is least
you looked at me, then to the sky
you think that you wish most to fly

but not flight that you're yearning for
express the truth you just want more
your whole existence packed with stuff
for you can never have enough

i have no hands to hold or make
the tools you craft or food you bake
i'm forced to fly to get around
imperiled by the landing ground

see how high your airplanes fly
as each contaminates the sky
in graceless stones propelled and hurled
you cast yourselves around the world

for me the hawk soars overhead
one winged mistake and I'll be dead
you've fenced the dangers from your yard
don't tell me that your life is hard

you plan your dominance with words
your god says you're worth more than birds!
one day soon we'll see a fall
from grace the race that wants it all'

admonished by his hardened spirit
it pained and shamed me just to hear it
the vicious truth is yet so strange
for i still know not how to change.