Two Birds

Jan caught this shot one morning of our parakeet (His name is 'Birdie') communing with another bird from the wild who had flown up to the veranda
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Bangladesh poetry often uses the 'caged bird' image. Most notably, the poet / philosopher named Lalon for whom the caged bird was an image of the soul imprisoned in the body. In his songs he would ask the questions of when the caged bird would be set free and where would he fly to.


 Rabindranath Tagore wrote a song- a dialogue between a caged bird and a bird of the wild. Written below is my translation. Birdie and his friend may indeed have been holding this discourse when the picture was taken. 

 

Caged bird lived in a cage of gold

Forest bird in forest nest

One day they met; Hear now their thoughts-

What sort of life each one held best.

Forest bird said, “Caged Bird Friend.

Let us in the forest meet.”

Caged bird said, “Enter friend

my cage of sole retreat

Forest bird said, “No,

I will not be chained earthbound.”

Caged bird said, “And what-

Shall I just fly around?”

Forest bird sat outside singing

All the songs he knew.

Caged bird sang his learn-ed songs-

Each in their tongue, the two.

Forest bird said, “Caged bird friend,

Sing tunes from forest pages!”

Caged bird said, “Forest Friend,

I’ll teach you songs of cages.”

Forest bird said, “No,

Learn learn-ed songs? I beg your pardon!”

Caged bird said, “And what!

Shall I sing wild songs from the garden?”

Forest bird said, “See how rich blue sky

Beckons without border?”

Caged bird said, “My four square cage

Has such symmetric order!”

Forest bird said, “Fly to the clouds

See yourself set free.”

Caged bird said, “Tie thyself down

To safe security.”

Forest bird said, “No!

How can you fly in there?”

Caged bird said, And what?

In the clouds, is there a chair?”

Fondness grew between the two

But they remained apart

Beaks through bars desired touch

Eyes, each other’s, sought.

Unable to be understood or

understand the other’s heart.

Feathers flapping, two lone and lone

Called out, “Come nigh!”

“I cannot shut myself in jail,”

the forest bird did cry.

The caged bird said, “See, alas,

I have no strength to fly.”