The sparrow, born gold, flew boldly wherever he chose
Though his bronze bird mother, and bronze bird father
In hushed tones of the morning admitted, before he rose
“He cannot be our own, and cannot be our children's brother!”
Freedom being rejection's homonym, he was invited to leave
Which a naïve golden bird can only understand as caring.
The privilege of being independent, perceived as though a sieve
Shows the value of decisiveness, of persistence and of daring
Natural selection proved, the sheen of the gold was just
enough to outwit the owl, who for ages knew but yellowed brown
Sexual selection proved, the radiant glow of gold was bust.
With the gold sparrow, not the least of the bronze would be found
With faltering spirit he wondered, “but failing to fulfill
my natural purpose, what now can I do? What worth have I?”
...An amused owl noticed the familiar flapping and bird trill
Yet saw a different sparrow approaching – one brave enough to die
“What,” asked the owl “leads my prey to feign
equality - even superiority - and seek me in my own nest?
Does your hue cause you to tremble with electric pain
That you seek my hunger to provide your rest?”
He has already guessed it, thought the golden bird
As he sighed, “Oh, what is the use of gold? It once was my
pride. And how! Now, my heart is turbulently stirred
By loneliness, like a hurricane which wrecks the sky”
From dusk until dawn, they spoke, though nothing was said
That upset the sparrow's melancholy, until finally the owl relented
“No, you're not even fit for kin – mine or yours – alive or dead.
Thus you remain free.” The sparrow's mood repented:
This grant of freedom, this rejection though dealt so coldly
Provides a surge of courage much greater than ever before.
For I know that where I – the golden son - venture boldly,
My dominion will expand, untouchable by prey and predator
