Ode to the Dove

Soar, fly high, oh, dove of the sky

You're always free to scale its height

spread your wings in gay delight

as you travel the long miles so fast,

Your keen eyes solely appreciate

the nature's beauty at its best

never forgetting to return

and build your nest beside my home.

Your unique cooing serves as my clock

Whenever I rise up in the morning light.

Just be careful with nosy people

they might trap you for food

if that happens, my heart will bleed

and I'll be surrounded with sadness.

You might get into the wrong hands

as trappers wait for the time to come

An opportune that arrives one day

that you'll get caught without delay.

I will be full of remorse, oh my dove

Loneliness will be my darkest hour.

Oh Dove of Peace as you symbolizes

you'll always be an inspiration

to get my inner peace I've been wanting

to possess and cherish as long as live.

You may travel the world without haste

but what you've left in me will remain

a message of hope will always linger

as I win the war inside of me.

Be with your legion and inspire others

and spread the message this world forgets.

I remember when I was in elementary grades, a couple of rocky doves landed at the roof of our house at the middle of the farm. They're so hungry that once they saw the palay or rice seeds being dry under the sun, they hungrily ate their fill.

The female, smaller than the male, easily submitted to my reaching hands as it cooed thankfully. The jealous male pricked my hands with its bill and slapped me with its wings.

Even our cats were afraid of its wings that the couple easily befriended our homey felines. They even shared food for the passing days, fish bones and leftover rice.

One thing that doves despise about men is when they touch their eggs. Birds can easily smell the fingerprints of men on the eggs that they didn't want to hatch it.

My father cautioned us to avoid petting the birds for have their own privacy. He was fond of animals, too as the birds become his buddies throughout their lives. Those doves regarded him as their master.

Unfortunately, the female dove was afflicted with a disease (I think it's bird flu.) and never recovered. We let loose of the male dove in order to look for another partner, until he never came back.