Lament of a fallen feather Alas, What a fate has befallen me! Stuck among the dying leaves And the swaying branches, I keep sighing, Looking at the sky And the countless birds. I once rode entwined On the strong body Of my agile parent, Close to the clouds That floated lethargically, But unterhered From the familial bond When my dad fluttered His wings in agitation, I descended slowly Towards Terra Firma And now wail Orphaned and flightless. I envy my happy siblings Who still cling To the lithe bodies Of the soaring parents And enjoy aerial delights. Lo! Here I’m, Tossed hither and thither By the whimsical winds; Then caught by the hands Of tiny howling kids And whooshed up in the air By their playful mouths. Alas!  I am an orphan With no home nor hearth; A plaything in the hands Of whimsical elements With a future bleak And a life of grief. Raghav R 14.03.2021