Chapter (7) WHERE HAVE ALL THE BIRDS GONE ?

Where have all the birds gone.

 

Dad, Where have all the birds gone?

I heard my grown son say.

We used to sit watch them,

On the hedgerows every day.

 

Where have all the birds gone?

There should be hundreds in those trees.

There should be hundreds on the rooftops,

On the wires, on the breeze.

 

Where have all the birds gone, son?

I answered with tearful eyes,

When you have too many enemies,

then the weakest always dies.

 

So where, have all the birds gone?

They’re mostly dead or moved away.

A hundred thousand killed by cats,

In gardens every day.

 

The fields now bare of Lapwing,

No Starlings swirling cloud.

No chattering of Finches,

No Blue Tits flitting proud.

 

No Teapots full of Robins,

No Bull Finch chests of red.

No Yellow Hammer rattle,

No Sparrows.

All are dead.

 

Where have all the birds gone?

Some found places they could hide.

Some gardens gave them refuge,

Gave them hope against deaths tide.

 

So don’t ask me where the birds went,

Ask me, How do I stop this rot?

Ask me, What can I do to help them?

But do it now ‘lest they’re forgot.

Reviews

[Terpsichore]

Not just the birds, we are laying waste to this planet in the most incredibly mindless way. I don't know how we stop it, or even if we can; sadly, man is the greatest destroyer of all.

T

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

You are right. The countryside I knew as a boy has disappeared. I feel so sad for kids nowadays. At my ex wifes school she had 3 boys who didn't know Potatoes grew in the ground. they had only ever known powdered potatoes from the supermarket.

[R J Askew]

Bravo. Too true. We have killed them off because we are far too successful in our mad pursuit of growth and more, more, always more. But the absence of the birds is a terrible warning of our own fate. We are spending the earth. Agri-industry sterilises the land so we may eat like locusts. Except we as a species are more rapacious than locusts in our greed for more, more, always more. There is never enough for us. And so the birds die. Most people do not even realise they are gone. Or care.

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

I just hope there are enough like minded people who want things to change.

[Tate Morgan]

Ah I liked this. It's hard to explain to my son what it was like in the 60s when you could drive down a country road and set off so many birds in the neighboring fields it would black out the sun. We all know where they have gone DDT Roundup the same things that are killing the bees. We are the the most detrimental thing to the life on this world .

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

Hi Tate. This was a subject close to me. I spent countless hours as a child watching birds and trying to spot a new species. In just 15 years the birds have gone from our area. I had 4 bird boxes out this year and the only one that had birds was destroyed by the neighbors cat.

[Tate Morgan]

I too realise the pain in this the silent spring has come I did get two humingbirds the first that I have ever seen this year

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

That is one wish I've had for many years. to see Hummingbirds in the wild. I did get to see a flock of Carmine Bee eaters when I lived in The South of France. They came over from North Africa one very hot summer and nested in a river bank not too far from my home. Noticeably fewer bees and wasps that year.

[Tate Morgan]

the world is sure dying off

[wordman]

they are domesticated ,but they are born killers

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

Yes, it's unfortunate they are just doing what comes naturally. Trouble is we keep millions as pets now. I love cats, bit of a dilemma.

[Baby Ricochet]

Man this is depressing. I keep my little death machine of a cat indoors in part to keep her from sharping her skills on the local wildlife. This hits like a sledge hammer. Great work sir!!

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

They fastened small cameras to several dozen cats to make a TV show. The life of Cats. What they never expected was just how many birds a c at kills each day. I think a lot of cat owners were shocked, me included.

[Baby Ricochet]

Cats are gonna be cats. It's up to their owners to keep them in line.

[MomzillaNC]

Brilliant! A call to action I hope more will take up!