pigeons, jamil naqsh and i

they have been older than you and I
hence the ornithological ramblings today
on columba livia and homo sapien

they blow their chest and circle the female
we vow till death or till another fair one smiles
they drag their rear while chasing females
we chase the rears to come ahead
they stick close to their intended target
we stray from target to target to target

look intently, rarely any two are alike
and with our similarities, we differ mightily
they are polymorphic, shades of gray
and white and colours in between
we are monomorphic, black, white
red and blue and colours in between

they have orange or red-orange eyes
we compensate with coloured lenses
they suck water, we use straws
- for arguments and diet drinks
they are solid and speckled and
we are tall, short, dark and fair
they have feet of red, iridescent necks
we have faces red and who knows
if harnessed energy harnesses us
might end up glowing in the dark

they fly fast, home-in uncannily
we wander lazily, long for home
after dark, they congregate on the window sills
as we fight traffic to our shacks, flats, houses
they have been around for 20 million years
way older than neanderthals - adam aside

taste buds they have more than30, and we, 9000 plus
they are not fussy eaters, we cherish fine cuisine
(more, when they can be slyly written-off)

they are wild and are bred in captivity
we are bred in captivity and turn wild
they are mostly monogamous, and we
violate monogamy when in the dark

to express their love they bill
we whisper, caress, move to kiss
will end ruminating and not tell you who jumps
on whom, but you are free to guess


for jamil naqsh